Awakening: Third Stage
by Lord Malachite
Summary: The Weekenders. Tish seeks advice, Tino and Carver discuss what should be done about Lor's advance, and Lor struggles with her own needs and insecurities. Updated May 9!
1. Autumn Winds

Historians Note—This story begins in November 2003, three years after the beginning of Tino and Tish's relationship and just two weeks before the gang's sophomore year Homecoming dance. 

Awakening: Third Stage

"Autumn Winds"

Friday

"Hey, Tino here. Man, long time no see. I was beginning to wonder if you still cared! It's been like forever, but I'll try to get you up to date. We all managed to muddle through our freshman year of high school without being scarred for life, although Lor did have that close one in science class once. Speaking of Lor, you should see her work it on the girls' basketball team. She helped carry our team to the finals last season, it was incredible!"

"Hey Tino!" Lor trotted up from the front steps, running in place as she positioned herself beside her friend.

"Hey. Uh, Lor, you can stop running now."

"Nuh-uh. I'm thinking of trying out for the track team. I know I'm good, but I don't want to take any chances! Carver says if I join he will. This will be like so cool; finally I'll have someone to give me support right on the field instead of just in the stands. Er, no offense." Lor added as an afterthought. 

Tino shrugged. "None taken. Speaking of Carv, where is he?"

"Well, we were racing each other from the far side of the cafeteria to here, so that means he should be coming along…..now." Tino and Lor both stared at the front entrance to the school, waiting for Carver to emerge. Several seconds passed, but only a group full of giggling girls came into view. Lor scratched her head. "Huh, wonder what's keeping him, I didn't get this far ahead! Unless…."

Lor's suspicions were confirmed when Carver practically floated out the door and over to his friends. "She spoke to me…" His eyes looked as though they were millions of miles away.

"Who talked to you?" Tino asked.

"Cheri… talked to me…"

Tino turned back to the camera. "Yeah, Carver's kind of managed to escalate himself to his own level. While he isn't one of the "cool kids," it's like he's been accepted as someone who is somewhat cool. And who just happens to be his best friend? Oh yeah, life is good. Of course, Carver's status also means some of the girls are interested. I'm still trying to figure out if he's going to pursue the older woman, Moira. Personally, it would be kinda creepy to have him dating someone who could potentially be related to be someday." Tino shuddered at the thought. "But, stranger things have been known to happen in Bahia Bay."

"She talked to you?" Lor said in amazement as the world resumed its pace.

Carver could only nod, he was too star-struck. 

"Man, this is serious!" Tino felt excited. "She's like the most popular girl in the whole school! Carver could end up becoming some new kind of social class!"

"Dude! And if we're on track together, I get a free ride! I'd say this year is off to a good start, and it isn't even Homecoming yet!" Lor grinned ear to ear.

"Maybe I'll have something to do for my Society project in history after all…" Tino mused as the fourth jogged towards them, completing their set. 

"Tish!" Lor exclaimed. "You gotta hear the news!"

"Hi Lor!" Tish responded. "Hey Carver. Hello, Pumpkin Pie." Tish smirked, wrapping her boyfriend in a hug and a peck on the cheek before turning back to the others. "So, what's the news?"

Tino rolled his eyes and resorted to another aside while the girls caught up. "Another thing you missed, Tish gave me a pet name. "Although I really wish she had picked something else. Just, don't start calling me that too, okay? Thanks! Anyway, Tish also joined the Drama Club last year. Sometimes it means we miss our Thursday date, but mostly it works out just fine."

"Why are all guys so hung up on appearances?!" Tish felt exasperated. 

"So girls have something to nag us about?" Carver shrugged.

Tino tried to come to the male defense. "Hey, I'm not hung up on appearances!" 

"And just what, exactly, is that supposed to mean?!" Tish demanded, placing her hands on her hips and seemingly growing two inches. 

Carver and Lor immediately took two steps back to avoid being caught up in the imminent danger. "So Lor," Carver began, "tell me more about how the track team is shaping up. . ."

Tino quickly realized he wouldn't be getting any support from his friends on this one. "Tish! You know I wasn't implying anything about you!" He squeaked, feeling helpless.

"I do? Tino, that was a horrible thing to say! I know there are a lot of girls who are prettier than I am, but you don't have to rub it in my face!" Tish felt her cheeks grow red and puffy; it took great effort to resist the urge to cry. 

Lor kept trying to block out the conflict, not wanting to be drawn in. She focused all her attention on Carver, making her eyes like tunnels. "Oh, you know, it's a good team they're putting together. It'd be a big help if you join, though. You're pretty fast. Not as fast as me, but fast. You know Laird is on the Campo Fields team, it would give you a chance to rekindle the rivalry."

"Um, thanks. I think. I'm warning you though, I am gonna train hard to beat you. I know I can! All I need to do is find the right pair of shoes. . ."

Meanwhile, Tino continued to plead with his significant other. "Tish, I would never intentionally say or do anything to hurt you like that. I mean, come on here! It's me, Tino. I know I can be sarcastic, but when am I ever openly cruel?

Tish felt drained by the soft words, suddenly realizing that she had no idea where her sudden anger was coming from. "I-I know. Tino. . .I don't know what came over me. I just felt overwhelmed for a minute, I guess. But you're right. I know you better than that. Tell you what, let's just the forget the whole thing. Pizza is on me, okay?"

"You hear that?!" Lor quite literally jumped for joy. "Tish is buying! We are so getting desert!"

"You could at least try harder at pretending not to eavesdrop." Tish rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I've got a crazy idea here." Tino offered. "Why don't we work up an even bigger appetite and cruise the mall for awhile? I feel like buying something."

"Like what?" wondered Lor.

"I dunno. I guess I'm just in a buying mood." Tino shrugged.

"It would give me a chance to peruse the latest shoes." Carver's entire being seemed to radiate enthusiasm.

Lor threw her hands up into the air. "We'll be out till all hours of the night at this rate!"

"Well," Tish chimed in, "If Carver's going to the shoe store, I might as well hit the book store. I should drop by Strings 'N' Things and see Mr. Higgenbotham too."

"So what the heck are Tino and I supposed to do?" Lor whined.

"Like I was saying, shop." Tino explained. "I suddenly feel the need to exchange some of my money for goods and services."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Carver was quick to gather everyone's attention. "There's something very important we're all forgetting. Homecoming is only two weeks away. If we're going to shop for anything, it'd better be for some hot outfits."

"Ugh, I hate shopping for these kinds of things. It's so hard to find something I can stand being in that doesn't make me look like-" Lor found herself cut off by Carver.

"A bum?" Her friend asked laughingly.

"Come over here, and say that Carv, I insist!" Lor wrapped her right hand into a fist, but Tish had the foresight to hold her friend back. "It's not easy for me, okay? I do wanna look like a girl, but I'm not going to dress up in some. . .some kind of frou-frou monstrosity just to turn some guy's head. I don't even think I would do that for Thompson!"

"Kind of a moot point if you don't ask the guy to the dance, Lor." Tino pointed out.

"It's not like I haven't tried!" Lor stamped her foot in frustration. "It's just, every time I try to talk to him about y'know, dating, I just. . . I stand there and a bunch of gargling noises come out of my throat."

"Do you want me to ask him for you?" Tish offered.

"No!" Lor shouted, causing the others to look at each other worriedly. "No. I. . .I have to do this on my own. "If you want to help, though, I do need someone to help me find the right dress." Lor shuddered a little at the last word in her sentence. 

"So it's settled." Carver summarized. "We hit the mall and pick our outfits for Homecoming."

"You want to help me choose something, Tino?" Tish asked.

"Um, sure. Of course, I probably won't be able to find something that looks good on myself, so I don't know if I'll be much assistance." Tino sighed at his own ineptitude.

"Just look at it from this standpoint. You're going to have to look at me in it for a whole evening, so say something if we come across anything you really don't like."

"Oh! Okay, I think I can handle that." Tino felt rather relieved that his job had just become much easier.

"Not so fast!" Carver pointed to him. "Helping Tish is fine, but I also have to help you find the right smooth outfit, Tino. You know, one to make sure you get a lot of attention."

"Attention?" Both Tino and Tish asked simultaneously, Tish cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah! Look, I'm trying to establish myself as my own style of cool. Tino is one of my best friends. So if he shows up at the dance looking like a geek, it'll make me uncool by association. Uh-uh, no way that's happening."

"I don't know about this. . ." Tino worried.

"Relax. I promise I won't steer you wrong." Assured Carver.

Lor shook her head slowly. "Anyone else get the feeling we're doomed?"

  
  


Lor emerged from a dressing room feeling like she was being measured. The red dress clung to her tightly, spaghetti straps digging into her shoulders just a bit. While the outfit was by no means frilly, Lor had decided before she even stepped out that it was completely out of the question. To say it wasn't her style was an understatement. It was cut off down by the knees, exposing far too much of her legs, which she had never felt was one of her winning attributes to begin with. Thoroughly disgusted, Lor fixed her gaze on Carver, pupils demanding an explanation. Still one query troubled her. Why had she even come out of the fitting room dressed in this monstrosity? "Carver, I trust there's an explanation for this?"

"Explanation?" Carver felt confused. "Lor, you look fantastic. You're gonna be beating Thompson off with a stick in that thing!"

"I'm about to beat you with my fists! What are you talking about? I look like a giant tube of lipstick in this thing!"

"Maybe red just isn't Lor's color. . ." Tish submitted as she circled around her friend, trying to get a good look at her from all angles.

"Oh not you too!" Carver felt betrayed. "Tino, don't you think she looks hot?"

"What?! Me?!" Tino squeaked. "She, um, looks nice. Yeah, really nice!"

"That's it! I am so out of this thing!" Lor ducked back into the changing room and threw the dress over the other side five seconds later. 

"Fine! Don't trust my judgment. I'll just make Tish into the belle of the ball!" Carver said indignantly. "Right Tish?"

Tish flushed slightly. "Um, gee, I dunno. . ." 

"Don't worry. I've got everything under control. Would I steer you wrong?" Carver asked, leading Tish away by the arm. Tino noted the pleading look in Tish's eyes as she was dragged away. 

Moments later, Lor reappeared from her dressing room, back in her traditional sporty outfit of blues. "Hey Tino, what happened to Tish and Carv?"

"Um, it's like Carver said. He's gonna make her beautiful." Tino replied.

"And she went along with him?"

"She didn't really have much choice."

"You're not worried he'll turn your girlfriend into some kind of monster?"

"I think Tish can take care of herself."

"Your call. So, anyway, um. . .you've had a steady girlfriend for a long time now. Do you think you could, you know, give me some pointers?"

"On what?"

"On how I can get myself in Thompson's arms! C'mon, Tino. This dance is important!"

"Why don't you just try being yourself?"

"It's not that! I mean, I need to find the right dress for this dance. Something that's my style but that will also help me look, y'know, good for him."

"And you're asking me?" Tino felt exasperated. "Lor, what do I know about high fashion. I know what I like and what I don't, but how is that going to help here? I don't know what Thompson does and doesn't find attractive?

"You're a guy aren't you? Okay, let me try another approach. If you could dress Tish up in any outfit you see in this place, which one would really get you excited and feeling a little frisky or-"

"Can you stop there, please?"

Lor chuckled, patting Tino on the back. "You gotta loosen up, Tino."

"I'm perfectly loose!"

"Tino, you're so rigid sometime I worry one day you're gonna break."

"I'm not rigid!"

"Yes, you-whoa!" Lor stared dumbstruck as Carver was leading a very embarrassed Tish towards them. 

"May I present to you, Tish Katsufrakis, future Homecoming Queen!" Carver bowed, stepping aside so that the aisle of the store suddenly became a sort of fashion catwalk for Tish.

"T-Tish?" Tino's eyes practically popped out of his head. His girlfriend was dressed in a bright blue dress that came down to just below her knees. The material was just shiny enough to catch the light in a mesmerizing  sort of way, but no so much as to create a glare. It was completely strapless and shoulderless, cut across her chest at a perfect height to entice Tino in a way he had never even thought before, yet still retaining a good deal of modesty.

"I don't believe it." Lor whispered.

"Don't stare!" Tish hid her face behind her hands. "I don't know how he talked me into this!"

"Now remember, I'm not done with her yet." Carver smiled. I've got to get her the right set of gloves, and when the day comes, we're going to have to do something with her hair."

Tish was still largely hiding, feeling embarrassed beyond belief. "Are you sure blue is my color, Carver? And what's wrong with my hair."

"This looks great on you!" Carver reassured her. "And there's nothing wrong with your hair, it's just I think we can make you look like real royalty!"

"This isn't going to be like that makeover you gave her after she was on Teen Canyon, is it?" Lor doubted.

"Perish the thought! No, no, no, no, no! You can't revive an old look! Besides, I'm not reinventing Tish. Just repackaging her for one night!" explained Carver.

"I'm still not sure about this. . ." Tish looked down at her feet.

Carver followed her eyes. "You're right! I can't believe I forgot the shoes! C'mon, let's go find you something to go with this. Some gloves too." Tish tried to say something, but the words got caught in her throat as she allowed Carver to lead her towards the opposite wall of the store.

"Dude!" Lor whapped Tino on the back with the palm of her hand, nearly knocking Tino off-balance. "You are so in! Did you see that? She's going strapless for you! You must've done something really nice for her.!"

"I. . .nothing out of the ordinary. But, um, it's still just a dress, right?"  
  


"Yeah, you say that now. But wait till you're out on the dance floor, all close. You hold her tight during a nice, slow song, you feel the soft skin of her shoulders. . .HA! Tino, you look like a tomato!"

"It's just, I've never really thought of Tish like that before!"

"Are you serious? I think of Thompson like that at least twice a day! I take it back, I think I would wear something like that for him!"

"Ha!" Tino pointed his index finger at Lor. "Now who's blushing!"

"Don't try to change the subject!" Lor waved her arms frantically. "We're talking about you here. Anyway, if you want my advice, you'll help Tish buy that ensemble Carver's putting together. You won't regret it."

"But I don't want to change Tish into something she isn't."

"I don't think you have to worry about that, Tino. I doubt she'd let you. But you'd better tell her how good she looks. I think she'd be disappointed if you didn't take an active interest in it."

"What about you? Are you more eager to accept Carver's advice now?" Tino tapped his foot.

"Maybe. But I'm more eager to see what he's going to put you in."

"Probably something that will drain my allowance for several weeks to come. Maybe I could mow some lawns or something. . ."

Lor couldn't keep from laughing. "Somehow I have trouble imagining you on a riding mower."

"Yeah, you're probably right. I guess I'll just have to wait until next year when I turn sixteen and get a job like everyone else."

"Dude! What about us spending all our weekends together?!"

"Well, I guess we still will." Tino relented. "Just after I get off of work."

"Tell me watching all those fashion shows hasn't paid off!" Carver grinned as he returned with Tish in tow. The girl was now sporting a classy but conservative pair of open toed shoes, a bit fancier than anything she usually wore but not drawing too much attention, a very flat and black color. "Don't worry, T, I made sure not to put her in anything with heels because she's already taller than you. Now, just be careful when you're dancing. Her gloved are white, and you don't want them to start showing dirt.

Tino still couldn't believe it was his Tish standing before him. "Wow, Tish, you look fantastic!"

"Um, thanks." Tish responded hesitantly. "So, you really like it, right? You're not just saying that."

"I mean it, really. I think it's safe to say you'll keep me on the dance floor all night. Even though I'm not much of a dancer. . ."

"It's okay, I'll try to get you into shape before the dance."

Carver stood back, admiring his work once more. "Great, it's settled then. Now, I just have to do something for you two."

"Tino first!" Lor exclaimed.

"Sounds good. All right T, let's see what I can do with you."

"I'm going to change back into the outfit I came in." Tish called, ducking into the changing room.

Lor stood guard beside the door as the guys walked off. "Tish, you looked so incredibly hot in that!"

"It's really a little daring for me, I think." Tish's voice came from behind the door as she swapped outfits. "But Tino really likes it, and it's not like I totally hate it or anything."

"You just have to get used to it. You'll see, once you and Tino are out on that dance floor, you'll be glad you went with it."

"Aren't you going to take any of your own advice?" queried Tish.

"What do you mean?" Lor felt confused.

"Well, you said you want to look good for Thompson. I'm not the kind of person to get hung up with appearances, but Carver might have been on the right track with you before. You can't be afraid to try new things sometimes. Besides, it's not like you can never wear anything else again. Lor, you know Thompson already likes you for who you are. I'll bet if you ask him to go with you, he'll say yes. You can wow him with a cool new outfit but still be yourself."

"I know, I know." Lor banged her fist on the side of the dressing room in frustration. "Oh, sorry. It's just. . .I'm not good at any of this stuff. In my head I know everything you're saying is right, but as soon as I go to try it, I can't handle it or something."

"Well then," Tish smiled, emerging from the dressing room in a more traditional pink top with purple skirt. "I guess we'll just have to give you a little tough love."

"This isn't going to be like one of those after school specials, is it?" Lor began having doubts about confiding in her friend. 

"Don't worry, I promise we won't let you chicken out. Come on, let's see if we can't find something to help make Thompson all mushy for you."

As both girls began looking for the perfect Homecoming dress, Lor couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and worry. Dice were rolling in her head like a game of Yahtzee, and she knew inside that if she was ever going to do something about Thompson, it was time to go for all or nothing.

And so we reach the end of the first chapter. I realize that things are a little slow to start, but I have to but every roller coaster has to climb up that first hill before the dips and turns and corkscrews start coming on! It's been a few weeks since I've worked with these characters in earnest, so it felt good to get back in the saddle. I look forward to everything this stage brings, and I'm confident that I'm starting things off on the right foot. For instance, this chapter got released on time, which is something of a minor miracle considering everything that's been going on in my life lately! It's been some busy times, but I'm hoping everything will settle down after I purchase my new car next week.

Alas, I wasn't able to get everything done that I had wanted. I had planned on releasing a second trailer on the 26th, but it just wasn't meant to be. If anyone is interested in that, LMK and I'll try to paste one in as a little extra in one of the upcoming chapters. I've also noticed in the reviews from Second Stage that people are already casting their vote to see who will win out when this stage comes to its conclusion. There's still a LONG way to go, and plenty of twists and turns, but I figure a little vote would be fun. Therefore, please go right ahead and cast your vote when you leave a review for my story. You may also change your mind along the way if you so desire. I'll close the voting before I resolve the issue, and the winning faction will receive, uh, bragging rights. I freely admit that regardless of whether Lor or Tish comes out on top in the poll, the outcome of the story will be based solely on my own creative decisions and directions I decide to take the characters in. I just think this sort of thing will be fun and generate conversation :)

At any rate, I hope you each enjoyed "seeing" the girls in something out of the ordinary. I'm a big fan of having fun with characters from time to time, getting a breath of fresh air.

Anyway, you can all rest assured that Third Stage has officially begun. It may be around for awhile, so I hope you enjoy the ride! You can look for the next installment around the usual timeframe, I'll work hard to keep up with your appetites! 

A Happy Thanksgiving to all! See you soon!

Lord Malachite

11/27/03

2:06AM, EST

E-mail: ranger_writer@yahoo.com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	2. Scenes From A Mall

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Two

"Scenes From A Mall"

Friday

"Am I doing something stupid?" Lor wondered as she found herself purchasing the very outfit she had earlier rejected. She felt extremely nervous, almost as though she were doing something wrong. It was true that this action was by no means typical of her, but neither could she deny that Tish had been right. She needed to take her own stand, to go after what she wanted. Taking her bag and change from the cashier, Lor maneuvered out of the store and towards the food court. Carver was still busy trying to repackage Tino, and since Tish already had her outfit, she had moved on to the book store, agreeing to meet the others at the food court later. 

Lor entered the open area and found a table take looked clean. Laying her cumbersome bag flat across the table, she stepped over to the adjacent Chug-A-Freez counter and placed her order. As she took her seat, she began to imagine herself in the dress once more. The thought still felt very foreign to her, invoking feelings that seemed to be a mixture of embarrassment and stubbornness. Just because she was a girl didn't mean she had to act so feminine. Yet at the same time, she knew she was denying a side of who she was. Did she sometimes take it too far? Lor found herself feeling more confused than ever, so of course it was at that moment when the object of her affections should pass by.

"Lor?" Thompson inquired as he saw his friend nursing her drink with a strange expression on her face. "Hey, it's been awhile! How's it goin'?"

"It's uh. . .really great!" Lor blushed, her face turning crimson. "I-I was just, um, shopping. Yeah. Just looking around with no real purpose. It's not like I have any real reason to buy anything." She giggled nervously.

"Well, it certainly seems like something caught your eye." Thompson indicated the large bag Lor had stretched across the table. 

"What? This? Oh! Yeah, well, I, um, it's nothing. . .I mean. . ." Lor's face started to glow, she felt so hot and she could sense she was going into meltdown, that horrible phase when her mouth would stop working and she'd just make gargling noises and look like a freak. She pressed her hands to her temples and shook her head vigorously, trying to regain her composure.

"It's okay." Thompson smiled. "I'm glad I ran into you. There's something I've been meaning to ask." Again, Lor felt the dice rattling around in her head. "Lor. . .I have some news. I haven't really told anyone yet. I was going to announce it at school on Monday, but I was hoping I'd have the chance to talk to you first, even though it's been a little while since we've hung out."

Lor gulped involuntarily. "Is this…y'know, bad news?"

"Kinda. There isn't really an easy way to say this, so I guess I'll just get right to it. My family and I are moving away, Lor."

"Moving?" The word passed through Lor's lips as though it were some kind of curse. "But. . .but all your friends are here, your life. I thought that Bahia Bay is your home!"

"It is." Thompson sighed. "Buy my dad got this new position. So we have to go."

"How. . .how far?" Lor choked back a sob, clearing her throat as cover.

"New York." Thompson replied quietly, knowing the effect his words would have on the girl.

Lor felt as though someone had stabbed her in the gut and was now twisting the knife. "Oh. . .oh no. . ."

"I know, it's bad. But, I will get to spend my summers in California. I have an uncle who lives in Los Angeles, and I'm sure I can find someone to put me up here in Bahia Bay for a few nights here and there while I'm visiting. So I won't lose complete touch with this place. Besides, it's not all bad news I have. There's something else."

"Like what?" Lor spoke softly, all the spirit drained of her.

"I'm not leaving until the day after Homecoming. That means I still need a date for the dance. So. . .I was hoping that you might be interested in going with me."

"Me?" Lor asked, feeling like she really might choke. "But I-I. . .I'm not. . .I mean-"

"Oh, please." Thompson cut Lor off, chuckling at her discomfort. "This is no time for you to be your usual, macho self. I know how you feel about me, Lor."

Lor immediately turned around, burying her face in her hands. "Is it that obvious?" She definitely felt too emotional to get through this. It was just too much. Thompson, the guy she had spent over three years chasing, was asking her out on a date. Not just any date, but the Homecoming dance, where everyone would be sure to see them. But he couldn't just do that, could he? No, he had to drop this bomb that he was moving away and Lor would have very few chances to see him again once he left. He was going to go far beyond her reach, leave her. A part of her desperately wanted to reach out to Thompson and bury her face in his chest so she could sob and wail at the cruelty of it all, and to hell with anyone who would think her weak for it.

Wiping the tears out of her eyes, Lor found the strength to turn back towards Thompson . She had to be strong. "I'm sorry." She said, noting the puzzled look on his face. "Not about the dance. Of course I'll go with you! It's all I've ever really wanted! But. . .I'm sorry for never telling you how I really felt. For so long, I just wanted you to notice me. But. . .you know. . .I always messed it up somehow. But even on those times when we've just hung out, I've never been able to tell you. And now you're going to move away!" Lor half-succeeded in keeping the desperation out of her voice.

"Hey," Thompson smiled, "it's never too late to catch up. I always though you were really something else, Lor. A little tense at times, but you've always been cool in my book. I wasn't in a big hurry to get start seeing anybody, never have been. But when I found out I was moving, I knew I couldn't say goodbye and not go out with you even once. I owe you that much. And I have to admit, I'm curious."

"I. . .don't really know what to say. I'm not good at this kind of stuff. That's one of the many, many reasons I never told you. That, and I was afraid you'd laugh at me."

"I'm hurt." Thompson replied with an expression that showed anything but. "C'mon, Lor, you know me better than that. Did you really think I'd laugh?"

Lor found herself shuffling her feet, fumbling with her hands. "I guess that was pretty stupid of me. . ." She couldn't fathom how Thompson managed to make her feel so weak and helpless. Why couldn't she be herself around him now? Her secret was out, wasn't it? Yet she felt just as shy as ever around him.

"You're not stupid, Lor. I'd have been honored, really. I am honored."

Lor's face lit up with those words, and she began to feel like her old self again. "You'd better be!" she smirked. "We MacQuarries don't give our feelings away easily. We're really choosy! It's like a great honor to be found worthy of one of us."

"I don't doubt it." Thompson returned Lor's smile. "So, can an honored guy like me ask you to meet him at Funville on Sunday night, say, six o'clock?"

"You can ask, but you don't need to. I will so be there! Um, what did you have in mind?" Lor queried.

"Just a little pool, maybe we could go get something to eat. Sound like fun?"

"A chance to beat you at pool? It sounds great!" 

"Great, it's a date, then. But I won't go easy on you!"

"A d-date?" Lor felt a momentary twinge of nervousness and anxiety appear, but she was able to stamp it down. "Yeah, that sounds perfect. I always wanted to go out on a date with you. Better late than never, right?"

"Absolutely. I guess we can just think of it as practice before the dance. Anyway, I need to get going. I promise to meet some of the guys, and tomorrow I have to make a dent in all the packing. I've got a lot of stuff. I'll see you Sunday night, Lor. Stay cool, okay?"

"I always do." Lor returned his smile. "Later days!" As Thompson continued on his way, Lor noted how free she suddenly felt. Indeed, a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had finally admitted to Thompson that she liked him. Or rather, he had admitted it for her, but the end result was the same. Lor smirked once more, noting that the dice in her head had also stopped. Now laughing, she hoisted her left foot onto a chair and thrust her right arm towards the skylight. "Yahtzee!"

"I don't know about this, Carv." Tino expressed his lack of confidence in his friend. As Tino continued to look himself over in the mirror, he couldn't help but notice that there was something that felt very familiar about the look. "Wait a minute, this is the same outfit you put me in when you turned us into Tish's entourage. I was her bodyguard!"

"Please!" Carver scoffed. "That was over three years ago! Significant changes have been made to help you keep up with the times!"

"Like what?"

"It's sized bigger now, and I ditched the shade. If you're going to dance with Tish, you'll probably want to see what you're doing. I'm sure she'll appreciate it if you avoid stepping on her feet."

"I'll probably end up doing that even without the sunglasses" Tino sulked. "I'm really kinda worried about this whole thing!"

"Wait, I'm confused." Carver waved his arms in exasperation. "Are we talking about your dancing, or Tish's feet?"

Tino slapped himself in the head out of frustration. "Man, Carver, your obsession with shoes is bad enough! Don't tell me you're developing a foot fetish too?"

"I do not have an obsession with shoes! It's a hobby!" Carver insisted. 

"Interesting." Tino quipped. "You rushed to deny the shoe remark, but you said nothing about the foot fetish comment."

"I'm not admitting to anything! I'm just. . .um, not going to dignify that with an answer. Yeah, that's it. Besides, we're supposed to be talking about you here! Leave my preferences out of this!"

"Way to take the fun out of the evening, Carver. I'm no good at this kind of thing! How can you possibly make me look good alongside the gorgeous number you put Tish into? Not to mention the outfits all the cooler kids will be wearing. And I can't even do any real dances! I'm going to wind up humiliating both of us!"

"Tino, you worry too much. You know perfectly well that Tish will forgive you if that happens. As long as you give it your best, she'll respect that. Besides, I thought she was gonna teach you!"

"She is, but you have no idea how bad I am! Teaching me to dance would be like. . .like teaching Lor about how the city of Rome was built! How am I ever going to get it right? The only dance I even know is the Twist! There's no way I can do this!"

"Okay T, just chill. It'll all be cool." Carver sighed. "You're forgetting what dancing is all about. Just have fun! It's about being close to your date, dancing side by side when the music is pumpin', arm in arm when it's slow and romantic. Just follow her lead. Besides, you know what Tish likes."

"No I don't! Not about dancing! I don't even know what I like!" Tino groaned.

Carver started laughing now. "This is a no brainer, man! You know Tish better than anyone. She's affectionate, she digs that kind of stuff, eats it up. She's a girl!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know that. So how does that help keep me from making us both look like dorks?"

Carver resisted the urge to mention that there was nothing that could save them from that fate, but he still couldn't keep from chuckling inwardly. "She likes to be close. Just be yourself, show her a good time, and move with the music. Hold her tight for the slow dances. I give you ten to one odds she'll be thrilled, and what's more, this is something you can handle. Sounds like a win-win situation to me."

"Okay, and how exactly do you know all of this? Did Tish have a little talk with you?" demanded Tino.

"What?!" Carver asked indignantly. "That's ridiculous! How can you even think that?! No, no, no. . .okay, yeah, she did. She was afraid you'd pull a Tino on her and freak out over this."

"I am not freaking out!" Carver gave Tino a look that perfectly illustrated how he begged to differ. "Okay, maybe sometimes I do." Tino relented. "But this is justified! What am I gonna do if I step on Tish's feet?"

"Um, apologize?" Carver answered sarcastically.

"While I would ordinarily agree with you, it's not nearly so simple! Tish hates her feet. She thinks they're her worst physical attribute. If I step on them, she's liable to start thinking they're too big or wide or whatever it is she thinks they are. I forget. But you know how she gets!"

"Wait, why does she obsess over her feet?"

"I don't know. I still haven't figured out why girls worry over lots of things!"

"Touché, Mr. Tonitini, touché. Well then, I guess you'll just have to be perfect. My grandfather loves to cook, do you know that?"

"Carver, what could that possibly have to do with my problem?!"

"Just listen. Anyway, he has a saying he's fond of. He taught it to me a couple of years ago when I stayed with him for a week. He had just made this soufflé, and he put it into the oven. I remember he said (here Carver did his best elderly man voice) 'Carver, making a soufflé is a lot like living. You can do all the preparation, plan everything out. But once you put it in the oven, it's out of your hands. The soufflé will either rise, or it won't. There's not a damn thing you can do about it, so you might as well get over it.' And you know what? He's right. There's no point in going crazy over this. Just take things as they come, and you'll be a lot happier.

"Maybe you're right." Tino sighed. "Okay, I'll play it your way."

"Good. Now you can help me find the perfect shoes."

"You've got to be joking. Don't you have enough already?!"

"Not for me, for Tish! I know this place that sells actual glass slippers. Might make a nice gift if you do screw things up. Think of it as insurance."

As Carver dragged him off, Tino shook his head, wondering where his friend came up with these things.

Tish had been happily walking along, thumbing through a fresh copy of Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle," when she had turned into the food court and seen a rather unusual sight. Tish found that she had to blink, remove her glasses and wipe the lenses, then blink once more after reapplying them before she was able to believe in what she saw. Lor was talking to Thompson! Moreover, she wasn't totally choking. She was holding her own! Intrigued, Tish tried to close some of the distance without getting to close, she didn't want to risk being spotted and ruining Lor's moment. She couldn't help but notice the color in Lor's cheeks, and Tish smiled. Lor had a very cute look to her when she became flushed, it was probably working to her advantage. How could any guy resist a strong woman like Lor showing a bit of vulnerability. Thompson was probably playing right into Lor's hands! And no one deserved this more than Lor. She had been pining for Thompson for so long over three years now. That was devotion, not to mention romantic. Lor looked good standing beside Thompson, they would make a good couple if they really did get together. 

As Tish continued to view the exchange, she noticed her thoughts drifting to Carver. If Lor went with Thompson, then he would be the only single one left in their group. She found that ironic, considering how she had always assumed that she would be the last one to find a partner. Who ever would've thought she would be the first?

Tish snapped back to attention as she finally saw Thompson moving off with a smile on his face. Tish backed up a bit to get out of Lor's earshot, then called his named and waved. As he acknowledged her, she trotted over, still smiling. "Hey, Thompson! What are you doing here, hmm?" Tish asked in a coy voice.

"Perhaps something I should've done a long time ago." Thompson replied.

"Oh really?"

"You saw the whole thing, didn't you." Thompson laughed.

"Maybe." Tish ducked the question. "So. . ."

"Yes, I asked her to the dance. It should be a blast! I hear that Lor is a lot of fun at parties!"

"Can't argue with that. Just. . .try to remember how she feels about you."

"Actually, that's one of the many reasons I asked. Anyway, I hate to run but I'm already late. Tell Lor I'll see her on Sunday, okay?"

I will. Take care, Thompson!" Tish called as her friend's new significant other moved off. Tish made her way over to where Lor now stood triumphantly with a foot on her seat. "What does Yahtzee have to do with anything?" Tish felt puzzled at Lor's choice of victory yell.

"Huh?" Lor asked, turning around to see Tish, with an eyebrow cocked and her forehead wrinkled. "Oh! Um, nothing. Nothing at all. I'm just, uh, excited about the great deal that I got on this dress for the dance! Yeah!"

Tish took a peak into Lor's bag, grinning. "Lor, this is the same dress you were refusing to wear before. Okay, what's going on?"

"Yeah, well, I changed my mind. I looked at it again and decided it actually looks good on me!"

"No denying that, but you can stop playing games. Lor, I saw you with Thompson. Looks to me like you did pretty well. Congratulations!"

Lor blinked for a moment before finally owning up to her new status "I can hardly believe it Tish! Any minute now I think I'm going to wake up!" Lor literally shook with excitement.

"Relax, you're doing fine. It's the next part that's hard."

"You mean remembering to breathe."

"Worse. Learning how to put up with him. Men and women get along famously, but it takes a lot of effort. Goodness knows Tino and I have tried to kill each other on occasion."

"How much effort are we talking here?"

"Don't worry!" Tish grinned mischievously. "I'll teach you all the tricks."

It took me awhile to finish this chapter, but I think it was worth it. Been a long time since I did something this monumental with Lor, so I hope that everyone here enjoyed that. This chapter ended up being a lot more work than I thought, but I like to make everyone appear as human as possible. Hopefully I'm still doing an adequate job of keeping their personalities in line. I've been tremendously distracted with work lately, a lot of changes coming on now. Plus with all the holiday preparations, writing just plain old fashioned hasn't been easy as of late. Nevertheless, my thanks once more to those of you who continuously look forward to my next chapter, it's really a big boost when I sit down to write and I'm just not sure if I have the energy. Knowing that there are people out there counting on me helps me know I'm not alone.

At this moment in time, I intend to drop in the second trailer that never got releases as a Christmas present to you folks. Look to see it appear as the 17th chapter of Second Stage on the Dec 25. Not much to say this time, it's probably because I'm so tired. Leave your reviews as always, and see below for contact info. See you next outing!

Lord Malachite

12/20/03

12:47AM, EST

E-mail: ranger_writer@yahoo.com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	3. Parental Discretion Advised

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Three

"Parental Discretion Advised"

Friday

Lor was tossing and turning in her bed, unable to blank her mind enough to get to sleep. She was beyond excited. She was going to have an official date with Thompson! Twice! Moreover, he was escorting her to the Homecoming Dance! It was just too much, too good to be true. How many times in her life had she dared to hope and dream and pray that he would even so much as have a slice of pizza with her? And now that it was done, and she had her Sunday evening date set. . .everything seemed to have fallen into place so easily. She hadn't died. Thompson hadn't laughed at her. He hadn't mocked her feelings and torn her apart for onlookers to feast on. He wanted to see her!

Suddenly, Lor was thinking about all those times in the past when all she had wanted was for Thompson to pay attention to her, but she was always too scared to come and say it, too frightened of being rejected to talk to him, to let him know how she really felt. She slammed her head down on her pillow in frustration. Why has she waited for so long? What had she been so afraid of? Everything seemed so clear now. She had always known that Thompson was a great guy, that hadn't changed at all over the years. But always she had been so frightened, always unable to find two words to say around him. Even after it was out in the open, she still felt so embarrassed. Even thinking about him in the privacy of her own room made her cheeks flush.

Lor sighed, turning to her other side for the fifty-seventh time that night. All she had ever really wanted was to have a kind of nice and caring relationship with someone she had feelings for. Even an insecure wreck like Tino didn't have trouble doing that, so what was wrong with her? Well, all that was about to change. No more being afraid of her feelings for Thompson. She had to learn to master them, to make them a part of her instead of something she just worked around. Her time with Thompson was too limited for that, and she wanted—she needed him to see her as she wanted him to. That this wasn't a mistake, that they really would go great together. Somewhere inside, Lor knew it. All she had to do was break through!

Feeling energized, an idea crept into Lor's head that she couldn't help but act upon. Throwing off her covers, Lor climbed out of her bed and opened her closet, picking out a dark blue bathrobe and matching slippers to wear over her modest pajamas. Quietly, she stepped down the stairs, through the enormous living room and kitchen, and out a side door into the garage. As she expected, her father was working despite the late hour. With so many people living under one roof, it seemed like one of the sinks or toilets or bathtubs was always in need of repair. 

"Dad?" Lor asked timidly, not wanting to disturb her father if he was too involved.

"Huh? Oh, hi there princess. I thought you'd be in bed by now like everyone else." Her father responded in a neutral tone.

"I couldn't sleep." Lor spoke softly. "Dad, can I talk to you?" Mr. MacQuarrie sighed momentarily before putting his wrench down, then laid his pipe out on a workbench. "I'm sorry, if you're busy, we can talk later. . ."

"No, no. It's alright, sugar. It's not you. You're older now, you know how it is. There's always something to do, always ten things to replace it if we want to keep this house runnin'."

"I know Dad. You work hard. And even though we don't show it well, we appreciate it."

"Well, that means a lot. And even though there's always something to do, having such a rewarding family has been worth it. So what's on your mind, honey?"

"I wanted to talk to you, about what's going on with me, you know?"

"Well, I'll be. One of my children wants to talk to me about something that's happening in their lives. Should I get this on video?"

"Okay, okay, so I don't usually communicate with you or mom."

"None of your brothers do either." Lor's father smiled. "Guess it runs in the family. Okay, so what's new with you, Lor?"

"Well, it's like you said, I'm getting older now. And I wanted to tell you before you found out some other way. It's nothing bad!" Lor quickly added, as she saw her father begin to frown with worry. "You see. . .there's this guy I've really liked for like three years now. And today. . .he asked me out, for Sunday night. And also the Homecoming Dance. He's a really great guy, dad. You met him once before, he tutored me back in Middle School. You know, so you wouldn't send me off to that military school?"

"I think I dimly remember. So, you like that kid, eh? He seemed nice enough, as I recall."

"He's so cool, dad, the greatest. And I've had a crush on him for so long. I just. . .all this time, I was never able to tell him how I feel. It turns out he even knew it! But he wasn't ready for anything, that's why this never happened before. I guess what I wanted to know is. . .is there something wrong with me? I had these feeling all this time and I could never express them to him. Sometimes I've even felt kinda sick inside over it."

"Oh, now, I don't think this means there's anything wrong with you, sweetie. You've just got the MacQuarrie genes, that's all. Heck, it took me almost a year to propose to your mother. I went out and got the ring and everything, but every time I was going to pop the question, I always chickened out. I carried that thing around with me so many times, it got ridiculous. Then I finally looked at myself in the mirror one day, and I asked myself what I was so afraid of. I couldn't come up with an answer. So that night I called your mother and asked her to meet me for dinner, and I asked her right then and there, no fanfare or anything."

"And it worked?" Lor blinked, beginning to understand.

"Well, you're here, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Lor smiled. "I guess I am."

Mr. MacQuarrie looked at his daughter, then reached his arms out and hugged her, Lor accepting warmly. "You're right though, sweetie. You're older now, you're fifteen. And that means you're old enough to make these kinds of decisions for yourself. You have yourself a good time on Sunday, alright? Just, well, you know, if he tries to touch you or anything. . ."

"Dad!" Lor blushed. "It's not like that at all. Besides, if anyone ever tried anything like that on me, I'd give 'em a headbutt so hard it would make their head spin!"

"Sorry, just a dad reflex. That's my girl."

"Thanks dad. Um, there's just one other thing." Lor twiddled her fingers.

"Oh?"

"Would you play a game of Yahtzee with me?"

The inescapable sound of ticking was something that one could never escape while in the Katsufrakis living room. Tino had always preferred to have conversation going, or even the TV, as the silence always made him feel like some sort of bomb was counting down to detonation. So it was that Tino Tonitini found himself grinning sheepishly, looking for something to say. Tish had gone out to the local store to pick up a few things. Tino has asked if she wanted him to accompany her, but she had declined. For some reason, the girl wanted him to stay. 

Desperately, Tino wracked his brain for something to start a conversation with. He had to act fast! If he said nothing, then one of them might ask him the one question he didn't want to-

"Come, Tino, tell us of how thing are with you children!" Mr. Katsufrakis beamed.

"Yes, yes!" Mrs. Katsufrakis matched her husband's smile. "Sometimes Tishy talk and talk and talk about you!  She can be so happy, it be bringing back memories of goat milking festival!"

Tino immediately felt the urge to run off in embarrassment. He never knew what to talk about around Tish's parents. Tish was his friend and his girl, he liked spending time with her. But somehow saying something like that to her parents, it made him feel dirty. "I, um, don't think that I could compete with something like that." Tino stuttered. 

"You are being too shy. Our Tishy is not old fashioned like us. She is American girl. It is good for her to have nice American friends, and American boy for her to be spending time with."

"Not a problem, Mrs. K" Tino offered her a smile.  "It's all just part of being a good friend, and um, other things. Quickly, Tino found a way to seize the conversation and steer it away from its current topic. "Speaking of friends, we all went out to this concert like a week before school started! Oh, man, it was the greatest. Chum Bukkit was playing all this new material, it didn't break up until like midnight. Now there was a good old American time, let me tell you. Especially when Carver started doing this new dance he invented, and we all just started laughing with him. You should've been there, really." It took him a moment to realize that Tish's folks wouldn't be able to relate to the holiness that was a live Chum Bukkit concert. Tino cleared his throat, then switched to a new tactic. "So, um, what was it Tish had to go out for."

"Ah, she was stepping out to get her favorite drink to go with wonderful dessert my wife is making." Mr. Katsufrakis smiled.

"Dessert?"

"Yes, it is special delicacy from Old Country. It is nice that you are here to share it with us."

"Well, it's nice to be here." Tino said politely. Half of him was nervous about what strange manner of food he would soon be eating, while the other half reminded him that unless one of the primary ingredients was plutonium, it couldn't be anything worse than the usual array of "specialties" he was accustomed to his own mother preparing. 

Tino heard a rattle at the front door and practically jumped off of the sofa, running to the front door to usher Tish back into her home. He was never comfortable about being around Tish's parents alone, or even Lor's. He had spent the night at Carver's in the past, though, so he had a better rapport with Carver's folks. He tried to cram the guilt down into his feet. It wasn't that he didn't like Tish's parents, just that he had nothing in common with them and didn't want to offend them. They were good, hospitable people. Besides, they probably hadn't seen that dress Tish had bought for the dance. He wanted to continue enjoying their complete confidence in his ability to treat her like a lady. 

As the door began opening, Tino eagerly pulled it the rest of the way open and all but dove into Tish's arms. "Gee, I missed you too." Tish said laughingly, making Tino a little more aware of himself.

"Um, sorry, it was just…"Tino sighed

"You're glad I'm back here to translate for my mother?" 

"Actually, I didn't really have any trouble understanding her. Does that mean I'm becoming one of you?"

"Maybe. But I wouldn't worry. There's plenty of your mother in you, Tino."

"Um, thanks, I think. So, what were you out getting?"

"Prince of Wales." Tish grinned.

"Oh boy. Does this mean. . .?"

"Tomorrow. Tonight, let's just spend a quiet evening in the living room. You know my parents are full of stories about their days in the Old Country. I know it seems silly, but some of them are actually kind of interesting. I thought we'd stay with them tonight."

"Actually, I do hear your mom made something for dessert."

"Yeah, it's one of my favorites. Anyway, I'm going to brew up a pot of this. Would you put some water on for me? I'm going to go and slip into something a little more comfortable."

"Oh really?" Tino smiled mischievously.

"Mmm-hmm. Don't get funny ideas."

"I've never had a 'funny idea' that you didn't put in my head to begin with!"

"Like what?!"

"There was that time you wanted to make out under the bleachers at school." Tino began. "Or that time last summer when we went to the movies ourselves and you decided my lap was more comfortable than your seat. Oh, and let's not forget that incident three years ago when you made me think you were proposing to me!"

"You're still not over that?" Tish laughed. "That was a long time ago, Tino. Although I guess it is a little sweet that you took it so seriously."

"Ha! You can say that because you're not the one who passed out!"

"Maybe. Anyway, I'm going to get undressed. Put that water on to boil for me, all right? I promise not to keep you alone with my parents for too long." She winked as she turned on her heel and walked off to her bedroom.

As Tino walked into the kitchen and began filling up a tea kettle, he wondered at the décor. The Katsufrakis house always had a very cluttered feel, littered with clocks and other knick-knack that covered seemingly every wall and flat surface. He couldn't recall ever seeing another home interiorly decorated in such a manner. Granted, it came off as a bit tacky, but there was another aspect to it, something that made it feel very warm and homey, lived-in. Tino placed the kettle onto the stove and turned on the burner, then made his way back into the living room. It was true that he often felt that he had nothing to say to Mr. and Mrs. Katsufrakis, but it was also true that they treated him like family. It was a very kind gesture, and he appreciated being so well liked. Tino wished he knew a little bit more about Lor's parents, but they weren't the most accessible people in the world. 

Smiling, Tino decided to take Tish's advice. When he returned to the sofa, he asked Mr. Katsufrakis to tell him a story of his childhood. He was surprised to learn that Tish was right. Although there was some serious culture clash, he was interested in what her father had to say.

Carver had just finished reorganizing his shoe collection as ten o'clock rolled around. No matter how many times he did this, he just couldn't seem to find an ideal system that made him perfectly happy. A normal person would probably accuse him of having way too many shoes, but there was no way he could ever part with any of them willingly. Goodness knew his mother had tried to talk him into getting rid of them before, and more than once she had raided his room while she was out and given old pairs he never wore anymore to charity. But sooner or later, he was going to be faced with a choice of either getting rid of some of the old ones, or renting out a public storage space.

Was it his fault that shoes came in so many different, awesome varieties?  Why couldn't his parents understand? So few people understood the holiness of footwear. He had considered contacting Moira in the past, but he'd always decided not to since he feared if he entered into any kind of relationship with her beyond friendly, it might make Tino, well, get all Tinoish on them. And that would be a situation that everyone wanted to avoid. Besides, she was an older woman. Last year Carver had to be sure to keep his distance because she had been an elite junior and he a freshman slug. But this year, things could be different. Moira was a senior. That meant she ruled the school. She could associate with anyone she liked with complete and total impunity. Perhaps it was time that Carver take advantage of that. It's not as though Moira were a snob. At the very least, he might be able to have someone to talk to who could appreciate his hobby. And if things really went his way, he might be able to have some sort of relationship with Moira. It was worth a shot. After all, he was gaining himself some status, slowly working his way out of the uncool world. Perhaps it was time he dared to take a leap and see if he could break through to a new level. 

As he undressed for bed, he wondered if he should consider asking his father for advice. His previous brushes with romance hadn't turned out very well. If he was going to take even a passing crack at a sophisticated girl like Moira, he was going to need some preparation. His father seemed like the only person he could ask. Lor was out of the question, since she still hadn't managed to tell Thompson how she feels. Tino wasn't much use either. A nice guy and great friend, but he and Tish were in what Carver tended to think of as "geek love," the kind of romance made by geeks and for geeks that just wasn't really the sort of thing that would help him out. 

Of course, there were other options to consider. Earlier that very day, Cheri had spoken to him. Nothing major, but even be acknowledged by Cheri was like a huge event in and of itself. Now that would be a tough choice. Clearly, he had a better shot with Moira. Although she was older, there were things he had in common with her. Whereas with Cheri. . .well, he didn't have too much in common, but she was Cheri. Just the thought of being around her made the average guy dissolve into a puddle of goo to be remolded in whatever shape the girl saw fit. 

Man, he was definitely thinking too hard. With all the little unspoken rules and social codes that had to be followed, Carver couldn't help but marvel that human beings managed to prosper as a species. It was so much work to be able to talk with someone of the opposite sex that it seemed impossible! Maybe Tino and Tish had the right idea in the sense that you had to have a strong connection with someone to make a relationship. But if he followed that logic, then the only person left to him would be Lor. And while he thought that Lor wasn't such a bad choice, he knew she had feelings for Thompson, and also that it just didn't feel right. He couldn't possibly picture himself having those kinds of feelings for her. Lor was his friend, there was no mistaking that. But to try and make it something more than that--it would probably be a mistake that both of them would regret. Just because his other friends had managed to buck the odds so far, didn't mean he felt the need to press his luck. "Maybe there's some kind of secretive geek power that they use. Yeah, that's it. Geeks the world over, all able to tap into some kind of amazing power source, waiting for the right moment to rise up against the world and establish a new kind of order. The horror! The horror!" Carver shrieked in terror.

"What's wrong with you?" Penny asked as she let herself into her younger brother's room unannounced.

"I, um, well, uh—I spilled some soda on one of my shoes. Yeah, man, it's horrible!" Carver covered for himself.

"Great. I'll be sure to tell the neighborhood." Penny mocked as she left, Carver wheezing a sigh of relief. Maybe talking to his dad wasn't such a bad idea after all.

As Carver expected, he found his father in the living room, watching the Bloomberg Information channel. "Hey there Big C." Mr. DesCartes smiled at his son. You look a little lost there.

"Yeah, maybe. Hey Dad, can I ask you for some advice?"

"Well sure you can. That's why they made me the dad and you the son. So tell me what's on your mind and I'll see if I can help you out."

"I guess I need advice about, you know, girls." Carver sighed.

"You mean you're having trouble finding a date, eh?" smiled his father.

"No, it's not that. I could get myself a date easy. I think. . .I want to find the right one, though. You know, like, how you met Mom. You knew she was the girl for you, right?"

"Well, not right away, son. People bandy about the notion of love at first sight, and while I'll admit it's possible, I think it's rare that such a thing ever really happens. I think you'll find that most relationships are a series of trial and error. Sometimes they work, sometimes not, but you always owe it to yourself to find out. Why were you asking anyway?" Mr. DesCartes chuckled. "Thinking of getting married?"

"Who, me? Perish the thought! I don't want anything like that to happen to me until I'm dead! Or at least until I'm thirty."

"You say that now, but every ten years or so, you'll push the envelope of your "death." You'll see.

"Yeah, uh-huh. I still remember that mid-life crisis you went through last year, dad."

"I told you, we'll go skydiving after you turn eighteen."

"You mean it, Big D?"

"I promise, Big C. Now, what do you say we go help ourselves to an extra bowl of Jell-O."

"I read you loud and clear, Dad. Loud and clear!"

And so another chapter comes to an end, the first one of the new year. This one ended up taking a lot of turns I didn't expect, and I decided to just go with it and do some experimenting. This being a leap year, I figured it wasn't such a bad time to take a leap, as it were. I thought it was nice to drag everyone's parents into it. If you're looking for the heavenly creature known as Tino's mom, don't worry, she'll be showing up again soon. Couldn't do the story without her!

Things will be getting very interesting soon enough, so I thought for now I'd take it easy for another chapter or two and let things move along comfortably before we start to snowball out of control, like most of this stage will be. Hopefully I'm not making anyone wait too long!

Thanks to everyone who continues to make the story possible. I know sometimes it takes me awhile to get a chapter out, but have faith in me and I'll do my best to get it out to you. I really look forward to releasing new material, so rest assured that sooner or later, it shall be thine.

I'll see you all next time!

Lord Malachite

01/10/04

1:31 AM, EST

E-mail: ranger_writer@yahoo.com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	4. Start The Day Right

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Four

"Start The Day Right"

Saturday

Mrs. Tonitini smiled to herself as she stood over the stove, carefully preparing a healthy breakfast of egg substitute cooked in soybean oil, every so often checking on her spinach toast to make sure it didn't burn. As expected, she heard the tell tale thumping of feet behind her, just as she did almost every Saturday morning at 9AM. 

"Good morning, Mom." Tino punctuated his greeting with a yawn as he rooted around in the fridge for some orange juice.

"Good morning, sweetie. You sound a little tired." His mother responded as she flipped her egg substitutes over in the frying pan.

"Oh, you know how it is. So much to do, so little time. I decided to do all my homework last night so I wouldn't have to bother with it Sunday."

"Uh huh. It might also be that I didn't hear you come in until almost one o'clock this morning." 

"What? But. . .how did. . .?"

"Tino, I wouldn't be a very good mother if I wasn't able to keep track of these things. Just because I didn't feel like jumping out of bed to bust you doesn't mean I didn't notice."

"I'm sorry, mom. I got into this weird, involved conversation--"

"And you forgot to look at the clock. I know, don't worry. I decided I'd let you off with a friendly reminder when I got the phone call from Mr. Katsufrakis this morning."

"All right! He did come through!"

"This time. But let's try to remember that you're curfew is midnight, okay? If you're going to be late, I expect you to call and tell me who you're with."

"Got it. Does this mean I can expect the same from you when you go out with Dixon?"

"That all depends on whether or not we decide to run away together and get married. Then I might only have time to drop a postcard."

"Mom?" Tino croaked, with not a little worry in his voice.

"Kidding. We've been over that one before too. Something is probably going to happen between Dixon and I, but I don't really know when. Both of us are a little reluctant to start another marital relationship. On the other hand, he does get some serious bonus points for sticking around for so long. To be honest, I think he wants to pop the question, but he's afraid that I'll say no, or worse, that I'll accept."

"Would you?"

"I don't know. Depends on how big the diamond is." She smirked. "Now hear, eat your egg substitutes."

"Aww Mom. Is this that stuff that doesn't even have the yolk?"

"It would actually be a substitute yolk, and yes, it is. Egg yolks aren't very healthy, Tino. They have little to no nutritional value."

"Yeah. That's why they're the best part of the egg."

"If you'd like, I could serve this to you between two slices of spinach bread."

"Oh yeah, that's exactly what I'd like first thing in the morning. Fake eggs between green bread. Sounds like something out of a Dr. Seuss book."

"Ha ha, very funny." Tino's mother mouthed, indicating she found the remark anything but.

"Who's joking? I probably still have it buried up in my room somewhere."

"Eat your breakfast, Tino."

"Yes'm."

"Now, what will you be doing today while your poor mother sits alone at home all by herself."

"Give it up, Mom. If Tish's guilt trips don't work on me, you don't have a chance!"

"Fine then, I'll just have to see if I can get Dixon to take me down to the mall so I can help him pick me out a ring."

"That sounds nice, ask him to pick me up something while you're there. I've always thought a ruby necklace would look good on me."

"Okay, you're not your usual self. You seem pretty confident this morning."

"I've got to be. I have an appointment with Tish at ten. She wants to talk. And she brought home Prince of Wales last night, so that means it isn't small talk."

"So you're saying something big is in the air?"

"Probably. The last time Tish wanted to talk over Prince of Wales, I ended up taking home half the books on her family history."

"So know you know a lot more about her  history and culture, I take it."

"Yeah. In addition to five different goat milking methods and Tish's great-grandmother's recipe for All Day Stinky Stew."

"I always did want you to get a little culture."

"Yeah. And now I have more than I know what to do with. Anyway, we're supposed to meet the guys at the Big Tree around eleven. Who knows where the day will take us from there, but we've all got Homecoming on our mind."

"Considering your personal stance on most sporting events, I'll assume you're referring to the dance rather than the game."

"Are you kidding? Mom, this is like the biggest event of they year! It's the only dance our school has that encompasses all four grades. Anybody who's anybody from every class will be there, mingling around. Being in the right position at the Homecoming Dance can determine your social status for the rest of the year!"

"Right. And what position will you be taking, Tino?"

"I'll be standing in the corner, drinking punch and apologizing to Tish that I don't know how to dance. Which would probably go a lot smoother if Lor were there to tease me about it."

"Being teased by one of your best friends would be helpful?"

"Sure. Puts a more humorous spin on it. But since she'll be off making goo-goo eyes at Thompson all night, I'll have to fend for myself."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out. Now eat your spinach toast."

"Can't. Tish is making a little breakfast herself. You know how it is, I'd hate to insult her cooking."

"You don't seem to have much problem with doing the same to mine."

"I've eaten more of yours. I figure I've got some good will in the bank. I should get going, Mom."

"Uh-huh. And what will you be doing for dinner tonight?"

"The usual, pizza. I'll be back before midnight, I promise."

"Call me if you need anything, sweetie."

"What, so you can read my mind again?"

"It's been working for you so far. Goodbye."

"Later days."

"You came early." Tish smiled, surprised but also pleased with how things were going. She opened the door all the way, motioning for Tino to come in.

"You're not dressed." Tino smiled back, noting that Tish was still in her pajamas, not a typical trait for her. 

"I recall from last night how fond you were of these. "You were keeping me pretty close." She blushed. "My folks really like you, though."

"I thought I picked up on that. They're good people. From a completely different world, sometimes, but good people."

"I don't get everything about the Old Country's culture either." Tish winked. "And I'm exposed to it a lot more than you are." She giggled as Tino put a hand on her shoulder. "Gee, Tino, should I just stop wearing these and give them to you?!"

"They're silk! I can't help it!"

"Right." Tish exhaled sarcastically. "And here I thought maybe you just like how I look when I'm fresh out of bed." Tino's response was to start a fit of laughter all his own. "Hey! What's so funny?" She scowled.

"Fresh out of bed? Tish, you've always been easy on the eye, but you can't fool me. Your hair is way too perfect for you to have just gotten up. I know you've been planning for this all morning."

"Can't we just pretend?" Tish pouted, realizing Tino indeed knew her too well for her to fool him. "For the silk, if nothing else?" She extended her arm to him, which Tino quickly grasped, then used it to pull her completely into his arms. "Whoa! What was that for?"

"You don't want me to be too predictable, do you?" Tino asked. Tish decided to be coy and said nothing, instead emitting a content hum and softly pressing her lips against Tino's. "This is definitely a different way to start the day." Tino observed in between brief kisses. He gently grabbed at small handfuls of the smooth fabric of Tish's outfit, sighing himself.

"You don't want me to be too predictable, do you?" Tish shot back. "But spontaneity won't get you out of this." She grinned, not allowing Tino to distract her further. "We need to talk."

"You sound like my mother when you say that."

"Yes, but I've made us a more pleasant breakfast, I'll bet."

"I don't know. Are you sure you can compete against spinach toast? It's pretty hard to resist."

"Somehow, I'll manage. Come on, I set everything up on the back porch."

"You're the boss." Tino smiled as he reluctantly allowed Tish to pull him out back.

Lor MacQuarrie had never seen any reason to treat breakfast differently than her brothers. In fact, more than any other time, breakfast in the MacQuarrie home was essentially an exercise in chaos. Generally, the house was big enough for all of them to run around as usual, but in the morning, all of them suddenly found themselves confined to one room, the kitchen. And despite its long tables, endless counters, and economy size refrigerator, things were still hectic as food was prepared and passed around the table. Cereal boxes, gallons of juice and milk, several loaves of bread, dozens of eggs, the list went on and on. To an outsider, it would be a challenge to figure out which was easier to feed: the MacQuarrie clan or an army barracks. 

This morning, like most others, Lor wrestled for her place at the table, laying claim to whatever came her way. Breakfast was very much a first come, first serve basis, a lesson she had learned when she was very young. Etiquette might be all well and good, but it also meant that you were going to end up with the heels of a loaf for your toast. Having an X chromosome afforded her no special treatment among her family, and that was the way she liked it. 

Reaching with her right arm, Lor elbowed her brother Danny away from the maple syrup can claimed possession of the bottle, which she squeezed out generously over her pancakes. "This is good." She muttered around mouthfuls, but if anyone was listening, they probably only heard "Thififgud," since her mouth was so full of her breakfast. 

It was already 10:15, not much longer until it would be time for her to meet her friends in the park. No real plans had been made for the day. Expectedly, Carver would want to go over the details of all their outfits for the Homecoming dance one more time, since so much was riding on it. She had been less than enthused about her dress for the dance before yesterday, but now everything seemed so perfect. And to think, Thompson hadn't even seen it yet. Won't he be surprised! Oh yeah, she could see it now. Lor and Thompson—Homecoming King and Queen. Of course, the honor of those titles was reserved exclusively for seniors, but maybe they'd have to have their own private coronation. 

Without doubt, Lor was feeling exhilarated this morning. Prior to the conversation she had had yesterday with Thompson, she had felt like a noose was tightening around her neck. Now she felt so free, like all her troubles were dissolving away. It was true that she was giving precious little thought, if any, to what he had said about moving to New York. There would be time to grieve over that later. Now was the time to revel in her good fortune of finally getting an official date! She was actually ahead of Carver in that department this time, beaten only by "the lovebirds," who didn't count in her book anyway since they were already built in. And after careful consideration, it seemed to Lor that the dress she had reluctantly purchased wasn't so bad after all. She knew that she was a tomboy through and through, and always would be, but perhaps the occasional touch of femininity would prove to be a tad liberating. It's not as though she didn't want to be a girl. She just preferred not to be a weak one that played with dollhouses  and needed protecting. Maybe that was just part of her upbringing, being surrounded by her brothers all those years had beaten any gentleness out of her.

She wondered only for a moment how someone like Tish could do it. While Tish wasn't a weak or subservient woman, she was decidedly. . .girlish. She almost exclusively favored skirts and blouses (usually skewing towards purple) to Lor's own preference for blue jeans and a varying array of sporty shirts. Unlike Lor, Tish was also dainty. From the manner in which she decorated her room down to her long, slender fingers, Tish was the kind of girl most suited to what Lor thought of as the "Girl's World." She was strongly feminine, comfortable with her sex but also liberated, something Lor really liked about the girl. Just because Tish liked to wear skirts didn't mean she felt her place was in the kitchen. Out of all of them, Tish was the one who preferred to be in control. Lor didn't fancy herself much of a leader, but she wasn't the type to blindly follow, either. 

Lor caught a glimpse of her hand as she skewered a sausage with her fork and lifted it to her mouth. As she slid the fork back out, she stopped to look at her hand for a moment, noting how her fingers seemed a little on the short side, thicker than she had noticed before. Maybe that was why she had always taken to sports, no way would she be able to play an instrument well with hands like hers. Lor wondered if she should ask Mr. Higgenbotham about that the next time Tish dragged them to her favorite store. At least she always had a good grip, from basketballs to baseball bats, there was little she couldn't handle. She also knew her way around a volleyball court fairly well, not to mention pool, one of her pastimes of choice.

Smiling to herself, Lor plucked an orange out of the fruit bowl and hurled it towards her brother Kirk. It was a typical morning ritual, the MacQuarrie siblings, tossing fruit at each other, making long passes, calling first downs. The plays continued until everyone had a piece they actually felt like eating. While all of this would likely seem somewhat chaotic to an outsider, there was a structure beneath it all that one probably couldn't get if they weren't a part of the family. Lor's family believed that breakfast was the most important meal of the day; and weekend mornings were a pleasant change, considering how everyone wasn't hard pressed to get out of the house by a certain time like the rest of the week. It was enjoyable for them all to be around the same table like this, sharing a meal, starting their days together. Maybe it wasn't the kind of familial bonding one would see in a typical Kodak commercial, but that didn't make it any less valid, or detract from their individual happiness. 

Lor had two families, of a sort—the one she was born into, and the smaller one that she had created over the years among her three best friends. With a little luck, a third type would blossom soon, a special kind just for her and Thompson. As Lor took a bite out of her fourth flapjack, she felt that not only were things changing for the better, but that she was ready to rise up to the moment.

I'm a little disappointed to say that this is the end of the chapter. I had hoped to show something of Carver's morning here, but my schedule has grown so cramped that I just don't have nearly enough time for writing. Seeing as how this chapter is already a week late and I wouldn't be able to work on it again for another five days, I felt it was better to sacrifice a scene and reassure you all that I'm still alive. 

You can probably expect things to move quicker after Saturday. I think I've said something along those lines before, but I'm too tired to remember. Anyhow, the little details of how each stage unfolds kind of change as each chapter rolls of the presses. I think I've already doomed myself to this being a rather long stage, but I'll strive my best to keep you all interested.

As I tend to say with every update, thank you to each and every person who takes a few minutes to tell me what you think. I really appreciate those nice, long reviews that let me know what you think, and what you worry about, regarding my story. Keep it up guys and girls, I promise to read whatever you put in there. 

I plan on letting a variety of events touch on the lives of our Fab Four this Stage, including the much anticipated triangle, so hold onto your Chug-A-Freezes and I'll do my best to keep the new stuff coming. Maybe even on time. 

See you in a few weeks!

Lord Malachite

02/07/04 

12:45AM, EST

E-mail: ranger_writer@yahoo.com        

AIM: Asukaphile26


	5. Breakfast Spread

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Five

"Breakfast Spread"

Saturday

"Okay," Tino said, looking out over the Katsufrakis' back porch, "I'm impressed." And it wasn't an exaggeration. Tish had prepared a breakfast of varying courses. Eggs over easy looked inviting; Tino arched an eyebrow, wondering if Tish had ever considered eggs taboo. A small platter of French toast sat at the center of the table, beside it laid a small wooden board which two fancy scoops of butter and a small syrup server rested on. There was also a bowl with slices of honeydew melon and cantaloupe. Finally, the display was punctuated by a carafe of orange juice and a pot of tea, presumably filled with Tish's conversational beverage of choice.

"Do you really like it?" Tish asked, feeling anxious.

"I love it." Tino smiled. "I wish I could start most mornings like this. It's a little unsettling when you never know what's going to face you at every meal."

"I don't always get away clean." Tish added. "My parents have put some strange in front of me at times."

"Um, Tish, you're a vegetarian. Eating strange and unappealing stuff kinda goes with the territory."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." Tish shot back, inflecting her voice to reflect her displeasure, further illustrating her point with a snoot.

"Y'know, you're the only one of us that can do that." Tino grinned.

"Do what?"

"That, that thing you do where you lift your chin up into the air."

"I do not have a 'thing' with my chin, thank you."

"You do too! I've seen you give it to Carver when he's being a typical guy! Which happens a lot, I've noticed."

"Tino, I consider Carver to be a very good friend, but sometimes I really have a lot of issues with him. Sometimes he just makes me so mad; it's all I can stand!"

"Because he can be shallow?"

"Duh!" Tish sighed. "Look, it's not like I don't want to be his friend. It's just; it hurts me inside when I think about it. I keep feeling like I've failed him, somehow. As his friend, as Lor's friend, as your friend. . .I'm supposed to help you guys, like we all help each other. I know that Carver is shallow but he doesn't have to be. Part of my job is to help him get past that. I want to help him be a better person, the way you guys help me to be a better person. You know, like how we're all different, but we also balance each other out and learn things from each other."

"I think it's safe to say that we've all bailed each other out of something or other at some point." Tino smiled.

"Exactly! But it won't always be that way, Tino. Someday, we'll be in different places. Maybe we'll be in college or working, but we're not always going to be able to see each other every day. I'd like to think that when all is said and done, we'll have made a difference in each other's lives, that the four of us will be well-rounded."

"I don't think we have to worry about being boring, Tish."

"I guess not, it's just. . .I try to appreciate what I have. I don't know what my life would be like if I hadn't met you all."

"Some questions are better left unanswered, Tish. Um, your food is probably getting cold."

"Right." Tish smiled, motioning for Tino to take a seat. "Help yourself, I'm sure I overdid it a little."

"I thought you usually liked to talk over just tea."

"Yes, but that's usually in the evening. I thought this would be a nice change."

"I like it."

"I'm glad."

Tino smiled and began eating the breakfast Tish had prepared for him, which was, to his surprise, better than he had expected. While Tish wasn't exactly lost in a kitchen, there was no one in their group who really excelled at cooking either. That was what parents were for. Or the pizza place. "This is nice, Tish. We haven't done anything like this in awhile. Maybe we should do it more often. I mean, besides as an excuse to talk."

"We aren't doing very much. Of it" Tish said sheepishly. "I just. . .I wanted to get a feel for where we are, you and I. You seem a bit different to me lately."

"I don't feel any different." Tino shrugged. "Anything in particular you noticed?"

"Maybe I'm only imagining it." Tish sighed. "I just feel like. . .things are different between you and me lately. Not really in a bad way, I don't mean that I feel neglected or anything like that. I don't know."

"Has anything changed between us?" Tino asked. "I think we're okay. You're not upset with me about anything, are you?"

"No, no. I just. . .I'm probably just being silly. I just wanted to be sure we're both in the same place."

"We've been friends for a long time." Tino chuckled. "And we've been dating for almost three years now. I think it's safe to say that no one knows us better than we know each other. Well, okay, except my mom. Nobody knows me better than my mom."

"Don't blame me if I keep trying anyway. There's something else, though."

"Homecoming?"

"Mm-hmm. It's kind of formal and at the risk of sounding selfish, I'd like to do something besides stand against the wall with you and Lor, drinking punch."

"Hey, don't knock it until you try it! It's been getting me through dances since we were in seventh grade!"

"Maybe, but it's not exactly an improvement. C'mon, Tino, I want to be able to dance with you this year!"

"Usually I make it a habit to dance only in the solitude of my room where no one can laugh at me."

"This will be different. Tino, I want you to let me teach you some basics. I don't expect much, but it would mean a lot to me. Please?"

Inwardly, Tino groaned, fearing that Tish's request would end up making him look like a fool. "This is important to you?"

"Yes."

"Important enough to pay me back by dressing up in a Fusion Femme costume for me?"

"No."

"Worth a shot." Tino sulked.

"I'll. . .go with you to the next Captain Dreadnought convention."

Tino lit up again. "Deal! But you have to let me take a picture of you with your arm around Junior Dreddie."

"Deal." Tish sighed.

"Y'know, I'm starting to enjoy these little talks of ours."

"Eat your breakfast." Tish stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're in a playful mood!"

"I wanted to spend time together. You know that we're going to get swamped with all sorts of reports as soon as Thanksgiving is over."

"Unfortunately we're not in a lot of the same classes. Just science, geometry, and gym."

"Yeah, but I talked to Mrs. Dering about next semester. We're both doing well in that class, and I asked if when she redoes the lab assignments if you and I could be partners. Unless you don't want to."

"No, that would be great! Then we could do our lab reports together!" exclaimed Tino.

"And since we're already pulling A's on our own, I figure if we work together we can completely ace the course. Not to mention lighting up our college applications." Tish developed a far away look in her eyes as the sentence rolled off her tongue.

"Tish, you've been thinking about going to college ever since you graduated from kindergarten!"

"I try to set goals and then reach them." She smirked.

"My biggest concern is usually making it to the weekend. Oh, and then through whatever shenanigans one of us usually gets into."

"Speaking of which, it's been awhile since we've spent a weekend deprogramming you."

"I've been working on my obsession patterns. Maybe it's because of that child psychology class I took."

"I still think it's completely unfair that you got into that class and I didn't."

"You'll get in next year!"

"Yeah, but it throws off my entire high school plan. I wanted to have my psychological studies entered into my college portfolio this year so I could focus more on the arts as a junior."

"Didn't you once try to tell me about the need to embrace change?" Tino queried.

Tish stuck her tongue out at him. "Eat your breakfast." Tino dropped his eyes back to his plate and resumed eating the meal Tish had put so much work into. "Tino, do you think I'm crazy?"

"No more than me. Well, okay, maybe a little. But I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Thanks Tino."

"Don't mention it."

"We'd better eat our breakfast if we want to meet up with the guys."

"Pass the French Toast." Tino smiled . The couple at the rest of their meal in quiet conversation, enjoying good food and good company.

"Can you believe it?" Carver asked as he sat up in the Big Tree, Lor resting on a thick branch slightly above him. "My parents decided to tell us this morning that they're thinking about having another baby! Man, I thought I was going to hyperventilate! Having Todd was bad enough. I gotta find a way to convince them not to do it."

"Dude, don't you think you're overreacting?" Lor countered from above.

"No."

"Carver, you're talking to someone who has thirteen. . .no wait. . .fifteen. . .sixteen?" Lor tried in frustration to keep track of her brothers. "I have more brothers than I have fingers!" She called, untying her left shoe to gain access to her toes.

"Please tell me you're not doing what I think you're doing."

"What?" Lor asked, removing her sock and resuming the tallying of her siblings.

"You use your toes to count?"

"Well duh! Ten fingers aren't enough, Carver."

"It's okay. I get it. You have a lot of brothers."

"Yeah. So why would you think I'd feel sorry for you?"

"Because I'm not used to it! It's hard enough being caught in the middle of Penny and Todd! I have to fight for my place."

"What do you think I do at home, rule with an iron scepter? Sometimes I wish I was Tino. Being an only child has gotta have some perks." Lor smiled dreamily.

"Yeah, except you'd have to eat the stuff Tino's mom makes." Carver shuddered just thinking about it.

"Good point. Okay, so I could trade places with Tish."

"I don't know, that girl has set some pretty high standards for grades. Don't you have enough problems living up to your Dad's expectations already?"

Lor fixed Carver with a look. "Way to ruin a fantasy, Carver."

"Well, I don't want you getting to be an only child without me."

"Hey, I've earned it! I've been at the bottom of enough dog piles in my time."

"And I've spent enough quality time running after Todd and being belittled by Penny."

"Fine, so we're even. But I still say should have to live at my house for a week." Lor pouted.

"Maybe we can swap sometime."

"Yeah, like you could ever survive at my house while unescorted."

"Oh, is that a challenge?" Carver rose to the occasion. "I know you did not just challenge me!"

"Sorry Carver, but I don't have enough time to train you. I'm too busy. Don't forget, I've got to make sure that Thompson can acclimate to my family."

"Did you just say 'acclimate?"

"Tish has been helping me study for my PSAT."

"Uh-huh. You have no idea what that word means, do you?"

"No, but I heard Tish use it when we were talking about Thompson, and that's good enough for me."

"Speaking of her and Tino, I think that's them now." Carver smiled, waving at two approaching figures. One minute later, Tish had climbed onto the back of the bench and begun scaling the tree, Tino right behind her. "What took you guys so long?" Carver asked. Lor started making little kissing noises in the background.

"Why is it that whenever Tino and I go somewhere, you always assume we're just making out?" Tish queried in a frustrated voice.

"Were you?" asked Carver.

"Some," Tish admitted, blushing. "But that's not the point."

"There's a point to this? I thought it was just, y'know, fun to tease you guys." Lor laughed.

"Tish grumbled to herself while Tino stretched the girl by her shoulders to calm her down. "So, uh, what'd we miss?" Tino asked.

"Just Lor and me yakkin' about our families. I'm in the middle of a potential crisis, Tino!" cried Carver.

"Carver, why are you such a wimp?" Lor mocked him. "I thought we went over this."

"What are you talking about?" Tish wanted to know.

"Well, I-" Carver began but found himself completely cut off by Lor.

"Carver's afraid his parents are going to have another baby." Lor rolled her eyes.

"Carver, that's great!" Tish exclaimed. "Congratulations! So what do you think? Will it be a member of the fairer sex this time?"

"Congratulations Carver!" Tino grinned. "Man, I never had a brother or sister. I missed out on so much. Maybe I should make up for it while I get older; start a big family, live on a big ranch with a dog named Shep. . ."

"Hey, don't be getting too many ideas there, Tino!" Tish stamped her foot in Tino's direction."

"That is too funny!" Lor laughed. "I'm picturing you two out in the country with a bunch of kids running around.

"Lor?" Tish sighed. "You just described the Old Country. Minus the livestock. And why are you encouraging Tino's fantasies?"

"Because it's fun? Tino grinned

"Can we please get back to my problem here?!" Carver shouted, waving his arms to attract everyone's attention.

"How is this a problem, exactly?" Tish asked the question on most of their minds.

"She's got a point." Tino agreed. "It's not as though it would affect you very much. You're fifteen now. Aside from the occasional babysitting. . ."

"Are you kidding?" Carver vehemently disagreed. "Penny's gonna be moving out this year! That means all the responsibility will fall to me!"

"Dude, you don't even know if it's happening yet. You said yourself they're still talking about it. Just give them some time. They might decide not to have another kid. There's always the risk it'll turn out like you."

"Oh, ha ha. Very funny."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking when I said it."

"Oh enough already! Can we at least go do something to take my mind off it?"

"Tesla Park?" Tino offered.

"That's perfect!" Tish agreed.

"Count me in!" Lor said thirdly.

"Now you're talking." Carver grinned. "C'mon, let's catch the bus."

"Yeah! Last one there's a marm!"  Lor called, jumping straight down and running toward the bus stop, with her friends scrambling to follow. A day at the greatest (and only) amusement park in Bahia Bay was not something to put off.

We've come once again to the end of the chapter, my friends. It took me a lot of work to hammer this one out, there were just a lot of different approaches I wanted to try. I'm still not entirely sure what this finished product you're now reading is, but it feels complete to me and I'm glad that I was able to deliver it to you a mere 48 hours behind schedule. I've been working through a lot because I'm preparing for my weekend in Las Vegas that starts on March 5. And it's been a big priority for me to finish this chapter on time, get it out before this week came without rushing it. I'm largely pleased with the final product, though I don't feel it's perfect. Of course, if I ever release a chapter that is perfect, I'll probably have to stop writing, as there's always room for improvement.

With the release of this chapter, I'm finally moving towards the more adventurous aspects of this stage. So you keep reading and I'll keep writing. Oh, and if it's not too much trouble, let me know what you think of my work. Nothing better than reading an honest and thoughtful review.

Lastly, it appears that spacing is still an issue over here at FFN. I've tried to put in some makeshift space breaks so you can at least tell when I'm shifting scenes. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be anything else I can do in the meantime. If anyone gets truly confused, send me an IM or e-mail and I'll try to respond to it.

As always, send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

02/29/04

10:40 PM, EST

E-mail: rangerwriteryahoo.com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	6. Carnival Pleasures

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Six

"Carnival Pleasures"

Saturday

"Say what you will, guys, but the Tesla Park A/C pass is one of the coolest things you can buy for twenty dollars." Tino called excitedly as he fastened the paper bracelet onto his wrist and allowed his left hand to be stamped by the woman in the admission booth. 

"Who's arguing?" Lor laughed. "We can ride the Whip-A-Canoe indefinitely with these things!" She rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Carver felt the need for an immediate response. "What's with all this 'we' stuff? Going on that ride until I puke my guts out is not my idea of a good time, uh-uh."

"What's with you today?" Lor asked stubbornly. "Are you in some kind of wimp mode? I mean, you're making Tino look brave."

"Yeah." Tino laughed, and then took a moment to realize what his friend had just said. "Hey, wait a minute!"

Tish decided to step up to the plate, "Carver's right, Lor. These things are supposed to be taken in moderation." Tish did her best to educate her friend. While I admit that the Whip-A-Canoe is a thrilling ride and a fair estimate of one's bravado, riding it over and over again gets in the way of achieving maximum fun."

Lor blinked twice and wore an expression that showed she was completely confused, mouth agape and momentarily frozen in place. "Man, I haven't been this lost since Geometry class yesterday."

"Allow me to translate." Carver grinned. "Tish means that our plans for today don't involve us getting sick and throwing up our hot dogs. Or the non-meat equivalent" Carver quickly amended after Tish gave him a look.

"But I can't break my Whip-A-Canoe record all by myself!" Lor whined. 

"Tell you what? I challenge you to the shooting gallery game on the midway. You and me, whoever can shoot out the entire star wins? We play as many rounds as it takes or one of us backs down. Or we run out of game money." Carver gave Lor his best game face.

"All right, you're on. On one condition."

"What's that?"

"We have to do the strength tester. Whoever scores higher has to buy the other lunch for a week." Lor countered.

"Deal."

"Okay." Tish grinned. "Then when you guys break for your little competition, Tino can take me on that cruise he promised me."

"Say what?" Tino shot back.

"You know, the cruise! Last month they started the ferry service where you get to go on a tour of the bay. You promised you would take me on a cruise someday." Tish pouted. "Don't tell me you forgot. . ."

"Of course not! I just didn't get you for a sec there. Sure, I'm all for it. One cruise, comin' up!"

"Aww, thanks, Pumpkin Pie." Tish's use of his pet name drew much laughter from Lor and Carver.

"Not in front of the guys!" Tino said out of the side of his mouth, resigned to the fact that he just wasn't going to be seeing much dignity today. 

"Hey Lor, did you come up with a good pet name for Thompson yet?" Carver asked.

"Nah, I figure I'll let him squirm over what I might come up with. It's gotta be something equally fitting and embarrassing. Otherwise, it's just no fun at all. Although I guess I could always fall back on Pickletoes." Lor smiled.

"Okay, that is so not funny, it's just wrong." Carver crossed his arms in defiance.

"Aww, but I think it's such a sweet little love name." Lor batted her eyes to twist the knife further.

"Oh man, didn't we promise never to talk about that incident again?" Carver moaned.

"I don't remember agreeing to that." Lor countered.

"She's got you there man." Tino chuckled.

"I cannot recall any such agreement." Tish replied in a stilted British accent.

"You're all against me, aren't you?" Carver sighed in defeat.

"Only when you make it easy." Tino smiled, patting his friend on the back.

"Okay, okay, I give! Just don't tease me endlessly about it!"

"Of course not!" Lor smiled. "That's what Tino and Tish are for."

"Now you're talking." Carver chuckled.

"Hey, you can't do that to us!" Tish complained.

Carver put on a smug look. "Turnabout is fair play!"

"You know," Lor's face lit up, "We could tell 'the story."

"You wouldn't!" Tish said in a horrified voice.

"Wouldn't we?" Carver countered, raising an eyebrow.

Tino looked withered. "Carver, c'mon man, you can't. It's way beyond embarrassing. We'd be bigger laughing stocks than Chloe Montez ever was!" 

Tino stepped aside while the others debated. "Okay, what Carver, Tish, and Lor are talking about is something we've all come to know as 'the story.' It's about the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to Tish and I. We're talking maximum humiliation and horror. I'd rather go to school naked for an entire week than have them tell this story in public! So just remember that I'm only showing you this so you can understand. Don't say I didn't warn you, as the contents of this flashback are shocking!"

…………………………………………….

"Okay, you know what? It's to mortifying to show you what actually happened. But I can show you what happened when I told my mom about it!"

********************************************************

"Mom, you have no idea how completely embarrassing this was for me! I was humiliated! I can't ever show my face in front of Carver and Lor again!" Tino cried.

"Okay, Tino, slow down and turn off the melodramatics." Mrs. Tonitini tried to soothe her son with her usual calm demeanor. "Now, why don't you tell me exactly what happened?"

I was over at Tish's house, in her room. We were in there, having fun, and Carver and Lor just walked in on us! I felt so totally naked!"

"I don't think it's that big a deal. They saw you two kissing and just got weirded out, it was just probably hard for them to imagine, that's all."

"No, you don't understand! It was much worse than that!"

"Worse? What could be worse than being walked in on when you're kissing.......TINO TONITINI! Just what have you and that girl been doing?!! Do I have to start chaperoning your time together?"

"No, it's not like that at all Mom!"

"Then what is it like? What were you two doing?"

"Mom, please, it's just too embarrassing!"

"Tell me, Tino." Tino laid his arms on the table in front of him and buried his face. "What were you and Tish doing?"

Tino looked up into his mother's face and sighed, realizing there was no escape. ".............Yodeling............."

********************************************************

Tino covered his face with his hands. "You see? I told you it was the most embarrassing thing in the world. If word ever got out about what Tish and I were doing, we're finished.  So it's really important that Carver and Lor never carry out that threat. 

Tino sighed as he returned to the group. "You guys weren't being serious, were you?"

Carver smiled. "Of course not! We'd never really do something like that to you. We all know a lot of secrets about each other. Don't worry. We've got you covered."

"Unless you do something like that in front of us again!" Lor added. "I can still see you guys like that when I shut my eyes!" She shook her head to try and clear the mental image. 

"What were you guys thinking that day?" Carver asked.

"We were practicing." Tino admitted sheepishly.

"For what?" Lor pressed.

"It was for a small ceremony from the Old Country." Tish sighed. "Tino and I had been going out for over a year, and my parents wanted to make him an honorary part of our family. We weren't expecting an audience."

"I still don't know what was worse." Tino wondered. "Having you guys catch us, or trying to explain it to my mom. She thought that Tish and I were, you know. . .coupling."

"Thank you soooo much!" Carver glared at Tino, throwing his hands up into the air. "Now I'm going to have that mental image burned into my mind's eye for the rest of my life!" Lor visibly shuddered at Carver's realization.

"Okay, that was so way more than I ever wanted to know about you guys." Lor grimaced.

Tish fixed Tino with one of her patented looks. "You'll have to excuse Tino here. He doesn't seem to know when to clam up."

"Oooh!" Lor suddenly sounded excited. "That's what I want! That clam chowder they serve here in those bread bowls!" Tino just looked relieved that the subject had finally changed. 

Carver shook his head. "Rides first, then food. You know what happens after you eat. You can't go on anything but that Shakespeare ride without throwing up for a good hour and a half."

"Okay then, after we eat, it's you and me in a little one-on-one on the midway." Lor smirked.

"I'll be ready." Carver stepped up to the challenge. "So what do we do until then?"

Tish smiled. "Isn't it traditional that we start with the Screaming Thrasher Nightmare of Doom?"

 "I'll still say that sounds like a great name for a horror movie." Tino added. "You know, the kind with lots of zombies and some kind of evil machine that reduces hapless teenagers to their organic components."

Carver laughed, slapping Tino on the back. "Man, you have been seeing Tish for way too long!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tish asked, hands on her hips and clearly looking annoyed.

"It means he's starting to sound just like you!"

"Now you're just being silly." Tish insisted. "And even if he was, I think that's cute. Um, as long as it doesn't start to get creepy or anything. What do you think?" Tish asked as the four walked off towards their favorite roller coaster, wondering about how much of an influence she really had over her best friend and significant other.

As their cart slowly made its way up the track, Tish wondered, as she did every time she got on this particular ride, why she was doing this. It had been a long time since she had ridden in the front car, which made the experience all the scarier. She gripped the handholds on her shoulder harness tightly, a small trickle of sweat disappearing down the back of her head into her hair. She was not an overly courageous kind of girl, and it surprised her that she kept coming back to this particular ride over and over again. Perhaps it was due to some sort of baser human pleasure, the thrill of moving down steep inclines, sharp curves, and corkscrew loops at unsafe velocities, all within a controlled environment designed to produce sensations of both fear and enjoyment. Despite what rational thoughts might preach, it seemed to Tish that human beings always loved a good scare, to live on the edge and feel some kind of danger. Above all else, it proved that you were alive.

Tino sat beside her, with Carver and Lor in the back half of their car. No doubt they were less fearful than she, or at least better at hiding it. As their car came to the peak and moved towards a curve that leads to that first terrifying and exhilarating drop, she saw Tino smile at her, taking his left hand and placing it on her right handhold. She quickly glanced to her right, looking into Tino's eyes and seeing his smile in them. She returned it, smiling herself, and found herself gripping even harder now, no longer out of fear, but determination. As Tino returned his hand to his own harness and the cart began making its swift and nausea-inducing thrust downwards, Tish gave into the moment and gaped her mouth in a scream born not from fear, but excitement. 

As the ride came to a complete stop and the four friends stepped out and staggered their way to the exit ramp, they caught sight of themselves in a mirror. Lor's hair had been pulled straight back, and she ran her hands through it to get it back down to her shoulders. Tino's had been spiked up in places by the wind, and it took some manipulation to get it to fall flat again. Tish found her hair to be in complete disarray, and she longed for a brush to settle the errant strands that had been kicked up. Carver was the only one whose hairdo seemed unfazed, and he made sure to let his friends know about it in a typical Carver fashion, meaning he rubbed it in considerably. 

"That was exhilarating!" Tish called happily after they had all finished playing with their hair. 

"It always is." Tino smiled.

Lor felt similarly. "I heard that Tesla Park might be expanding, but I still don't see how they can ever have a better roller coaster. 

"They ought to pass some kind of law that turns that ride into some sort of historical attraction. You know, so they can't ever remove it. I want my kids to go on that thing."

"Carver," Lor laughed, "Don't you have to trick some girl into having kids with you first?"

"So, I'm not worried about that. I've got my whole marriage and fatherhood thing planned out. Finding the girl is like the last part of the puzzle."

"Now there's a winning attitude." Tish muttered under her breath, crossing her arms over her breasts to indicate her dissatisfaction. 

"Carv, you can be one weird guy sometimes." Tino lightly slapped his best friend on the back. 

"Yeah, maybe, but at least I'm not a Captain Dreadnought fan." Carver chided.

"Ugh, don't get me started." Tish slowly massaged her forehead to help stave off what she already feared would become a headache if the conversation went that route. 

"Are you guys ever gonna stop ragging on me about the Captain Dreadnought thing? It's old news!" Tino complained in a frustrated voice.

"Sure," Lor grinned, "If you ever stop reading those comic books."

"It's not worth it, guys." Tish sighed. "Believe me. I tried to wean Tino off of them. I wanted to broaden his horizons, so I gave him some graphic novel versions of great literary classics."

"And it didn't work?" Carver looked disappointed.

"Well, it did get him to read a lot of classic books. Which worked out well, because we have to read a lot of them in our English classes throughout high school, so now he has an advantage. Unfortunately, he's still reading Captain Dreadnought comics."

Tino rolled his eyes. "This from a girl who still has a Lil' Muffins book under her bed."

Everyone started laughing then but Tish, who looked thoroughly annoyed. "It's not funny!"

"Oh man," Carver said between laughs, "If you guys are going to be this dorky, I'm gonna have to stop hanging out with you!"

"Really?" Lor grinned mischievously. "You wouldn't want me to circulate that photo I have of you in a woman's one-piece bathing suit, would you?"

Carver's laughter immediately died. "You wouldn't."

"I would."

"You WOULDN'T!"

"You never know. . ."

"Ah, the calm." Tish laughed. "The peace and tranquility. Oh yeah, I know what I'll remember most about my childhood."

Tino smirked at her as the four of them made their way to the next ride, Lor and Carver continuing their animated discussion and sounding more like siblings than friends.

And here we are, another chapter done. It really feels good to get this finished more or less on time and ready for distribution. I hope you all have as much fun reading this as I have coming up with things in my head. As I move through this brief Tesla Park arc and on to Lor's date with Thompson on Sunday, I hope that everyone is able to find something they enjoy about my little. . .maybe I'd better make that not-so-little story. That's what gives me the greatest joy, knowing someone out there feels something after reading what I've written. So you know the drill folks. You all keep reading and reviewing, and I keep the new installments coming. Let the good times roll!

Send all questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

03/25/04

3:35PM, EST

E-mail: ranger_writer@yahoo.com

AIM: Asukaphile26

Later days!


	7. Invisible Hand

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Seven

"Invisible Hand"

Saturday

The ferry made its way leisurely across the bay, a large wake trailing behind it, while the afternoon sub caught the crests of waves at the bow. Tish stood at the railing in the front port side of the little ship. Gusts of wind wafted in from the bay, blowing Tish's hair in several different directions. She absently fingered one of the purple clips in her hair, a simple yet effective mainstay that had been keeping stray strands of hair out of her eyes for years.

Tino was sitting on a bench not far away; the deck was lined with them. Silently, he watched Tish. It was in these sorts of quiet moments that he learned the most about her. One thing he had come to appreciate, that Tish was by far a young woman of quiet dignity. She possessed a great passion for what she believed in, and would always stand up for her beliefs, no matter what adversity she encountered. She did have to stand up her friends from time to time, perhaps they would never see eye to eye on everything. Her heart definitely ran deep. She was open and honest, and had a quiet beauty about her that was never overt.

Tino felt a need to go to her, ask what was weighing on her mind. Did she sometimes ponder the same things he did on his own? Did she feel the nearly imperceptible tug of the world, calling to her as it did to him? Drawn to his longtime friend and significant other, he slowly pulled himself up and crossed the distance to her. Resting his head on her left shoulder and wrapping his arms around her waist, he said nothing, silently looking out at the bay with her. A small smile formed on the girl's lips. "Isn't this supposed to be the other way around?" She asked.

"We're not the most traditional couple." Tino offered. "I blame my mom."

"We're not so different, you and I." Tish confirmed. She leaned back against him, allowing Tino to support her. He had to shift his feet, be he managed to maintain his balance. See?"

"Wasn't that a little dangerous?" Tino felt a growing concern.

"I knew you wouldn't let me fall."

"How?"

"Because it's not in your nature to let one of your friends get hurt. Especially me, I hope."

"I never knew you had such trust in me."

"After all the years we've known each other, I don't see how I couldn't."

"I don't get it."

Tish turned to look at him, her face an enigma. As she looked him up and down, seemingly studying the boy, Tino felt the distinct impression that he was being measured. Feeling satisfied, Tish removed her glasses. "Look me I the eye and tell me what you see."

"I see you."

Tish placed a hand on his chin and elevated it slightly, forcing him to look her deep in the eyes. "Look closer."

"In your eyes. . .it's like. . .I feel like I'm a little kid again, gazing up at the stars. The stars in your eyes."

"You put them there."

"Do I?"

"Of course."

"You're in a mood, aren't you?" Tino chided.

"It's a romantic cruise around the bay! Well, okay, maybe it's not overly romantic. . .but that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Someday I hope to go on a real one, though." Tish said in mock defiance.

"Tish, you're babbling. What's wrong?"

"Do you ever get tired of me?" She asked, sighing.

"Tired of you? Why would I?"  
  
I'm not the only girl in Bahia Bay. Did you know that Dot Cardigan has a crush on you, for instance?" Tish cocked an eyebrow.

"What? Dot Cardigan? I had no idea!"

"Tino, she's been pining over you forever. Since before you and I ever started dating."

"I never knew." Tino felt embarrassed over being so clueless.

"You never were very good at picking up on signals. Back when I was trying to get you to notice me, I had considered flat out jumping you, I was feeling so frustrated."

"I guess I just had trouble seeing you outside of friendship. Until that time, you were never a girl to me. You were Tish, and Lor was Lor, and Carver was Carver. It never mattered to me whether you were a boy or a girl, or what country you came from, or what you liked to do in your spare time. The friendship all of us shares runs deeper than gender or interests." Tino insisted. 

"Whatever happened to your feelings for Tasha?"

"What? Tish, I got together with you. That night we kissed each other, everything changed."

"And so you forgot about her?"

"Of course not! But it wasn't the same. All I really wanted after that was to hold you again. It wasn't an easy time for me, I felt guilty." Tino sighed.

"Because of Tasha?" Tish persisted.

"No, because of you. I was afraid I was doing something wrong, or taking advantage of you. You were. . .you still are my friend."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Absolutely! Why wouldn't I? Tish, what's up with the third degree? Are you breaking up with me?"

"No, not at all. Quite the opposite, actually. Tino, after we go to this dance, we're going to be high profile. I just wanted to make sure that we're together for the right reasons. I don't want it to be out of convenience or because it's what we've always done. I know we've been through this before, but it's important to me."

"It's okay, I understand."

"Are you sure? I'm getting a little tall, Tino. You talk about non-traditional. . ."

"Maybe I can will my muscles into a growth spurt."

Tish laughed playfully at him. "You might not grow at all if you keep eating you're mom's cooking."

"I know. My mom's not a bad cook though, really. She's just a weird cook."

"You know, Tino, between your mom's health foods and my mom's recipes from the Old Country, something really insidious could be produced."

"You think we should enter a pact to keep our moms from swapping recipes?"

"I'll let you know the next time I come over for dinner." Tish smiled. She turned back to look over the railing, and the waves rolling in from the bay. 

************************************************************************

Lor pulled Carver to a stop in the middle of the walkway, inclining her head towards the dart toss booth. "I thought we were going to shoot air rifles." Carver reminded her.

"We will, but c'mon, I love a good dart toss. It always feels good to make those balloons pop." Lor trotted over to the game and passed a dollar to the man behind the counter, who in turn provided her with three darts. "C'mon, Carv. First one to miss loses. Deal?"

"Okay, you've got my interest. I'll bite." Carver exchanged his buck for three darts and waited his turn. 

Lor snapped her wrist back in quick succession, launching all three of her darts in minimal time and never missing a balloon. "I believe that makes it your turn." She smiled wickedly.

"Man, you are good at this. Okay, here we go." Taking a different approach, Carver lined up each shot, taking careful aim before releasing his darts. Yet Carver's method proved just as effective as Lor's, and all his balloons popped. "Back at ya." Carver smirked.

"You're better at this then I expected." Lor admitted with respect as she spent another dollar on simple game. Twenty-three seconds later, there were 3 more balloons missing from the big board. Play continued in this manner for a good seven rounds, neither player yielding and each of them climbing their way up the booth's prize ladder. "This isn't getting us anywhere." Lor laughed as she took one of the largest prizes, a stuffed polar bear, away from the game. Carver selected a gray rhinoceros and both friends continued down the midway. "Okay, you were right. The air rifles it is."

"Those were some pretty wicked shots." Carver commented. "You're a heck of a dart player."

"Ah, it's all in the wrist." Lor brushed off the comment. "Of course, some of us just have natural talent."

"Right." Carver rolled his eyes as they came up on the rifle booth. "Now, here's a test of skill. One hundred bullets to knock out the star entirely. Think you're up to it?"

"I've never been one to shy away from a challenge. Um, except maybe for snake handling, I draw the line at that."

Each of them paid their dues and waited for their targets to be setup. As the signal to begin was given, Lor quickly realized that this wasn't nearly as easy as it sounded. Each bullet seemed to do a miniscule amount of damage and the rifle's aim was not pinpoint accurate. She snuck a peek over at Carver and noticed that he appeared to be doing a bit better, but it still didn't look as though it would be good enough to win. Grinning to herself, Lor squeezed the trigger hard and tried to overwhelm the paper target. She succeeded in cutting the heart out of it, but she quickly ran out of ammo, with some of the outline of her target remaining. She felt a little disappointed, she had expected this game to be a lot easier than it really was. Stepping back from the counter, Lor noticed that Carver had not yet finished, he still had a small amount of his bullets remaining. It appeared as though there were only a few lines left of his star. It was feasible that Carver could pull it off, but given the accuracy of the rifles, unlikely. Half a minute later, Lor's hunch was proven correct when Carver's gun ran dry and a few red markings on the two lower points of the star remained. Still, when compared to Lor's own target, it was no trouble to discern the winner.

"Well Carv, I guess you're a better player than I had planned on. You just took the lead!" Lor slapped him on the back.

"It's all in the, uh, trigger finger." Carver smirked through his best attempt to mock the girl.

"Right. . ." Lor sighed with sarcasm. "At least I know I can beat you at our next event."

"And what, pray tell, would that be?"

"The good ol' strength tester. I so rule at that!"

"So it all comes down to which of us is the strongest? I see. This should be interesting." Carver rubbed his palms against each other conspiratorially. 

"It was your idea to challenge me." Lor shrugged

************************************************************************

The strength tester stood tall among the midway, bright flashing lights and loud sound effects going off every time someone picked up one of the mallets. When someone managed to hit it hard enough to send the light up to the top, the glowing ball would explode with colors and a shrill whine passed over the immediate area, designed to draw the attention of the crowd.

Lor eagerly went first once they arrived at the girl. They both agreed to limit themselves to two whacks. Lor hefted the mallet, balancing it in her hands to get a good feel before finally letting loose her first blow. She swung the oversized hammer over her shoulder, then poured all her strength into one hit, the pressure plate giving a satisfying amount of feedback. Lor watched the light travel a good distance up the bar, naming her as a "good sport" when the light hit its peak, then it fell back to the bottom. Having gotten a better feel for the system. She immediately swung again, throwing every last drop she could muster into this hit, striking a blow for womanhood. Luck and skill appeared to shine on her this evening, as this time she fell only half a foot short of the top.

"Okay, Carver, think you can beat that?" Lor deferred her post to her friend, drops of sweat appearing on her forehead. 

"No." Carver admitted, but stepped up to the plate anyway. If he was destined to lose, he was going to give it his all. He tried to take a stance similar to Lor's, but his first blow came in resoundingly weak, and even his second was less than spectacular, rising only to the halfway point. Still, after all 3 events, it had ended in a tie. All in all, things could've been worse. "Okay Lor, so I guess this means you're stronger than me."

"Yeah, but don't let it get you down. It's my parents' fault for having too many kids. In my house, arguments are usually solved by whomever can punch hardest. Except of course for my mom."

"She objects?" Carver wondered.

"No, she's off limits. Without her, we wouldn't have anything to eat! She makes all the meals, that counts for a lot more than you might think."

"Well, someone has to feed that big family of yours."

"My mom thinks of us as more of an army. Still, there's always enough to go around. Unless of course you're really slow." Lor added.

"You know, all this talk of food is making me hungry."

Lor slapped her forehead. "Didn't you eat like that entire carton of ice cream last night?"

"Yeah, but that was last night." Carver persisted. "Food now!"

"Shouldn't we wait for Tino and Tish?"

"They could be gone for a long time. . ."

"Good point. Bring on the grub!"

************************************************************************

It was Tino who spotted Carver and Lor sitting at a table in the Star Garden. The Star Garden, was essentially a wide open area of tables with clear light bulbs running overhead. The entire garden was ringed with different food booths, enough different tastes were presented to satisfy just about anyone. Lor was eating a large bread bowl filled with New England clam chowder, while Carver was working on a platter of tacos that had probably taken a good chunk out of his weekly shoe budget, considering amusement park prices. Tino had just gotten himself several slices of fried dough in a soda, while Tish was still busy getting her dinner, steamed vegetables and a side salad. 

"So how did your little competition go?" Tino asked while ripping into his dinner.

"Well," Carver began, "overall it was a tie."

"Yeah," Lor added, "except you forgot to mention the part where we proved how much stronger I am than you."

"Do you have to tell everyone?" Carver moaned.

Tino was impressed. "Whoa! Go Lor! What's your secret?!"

"I had kind of an unfair advantage. Conflicts in my house tend to get settled by brute force. Or my mom. Whichever is easier." She shrugged, taking another spoonful of chowder half of which outlined her mouth. "So what about your cruise?"

"Wasn't anything like I expected." Tino said non-chalantly.

"You guys didn't have a good time?" Lor wondered.

"I wouldn't say that." Tino replied, eating his dinner.

"Ooooooh, I get it. You had a really good time, huh? A magical time!" Carver grinned, elbowing his friend.

"I wouldn't say that either." Tino said evenly.

"Okay, I officially don't get it." Lor felt frustration growing rapidly within her.

"I guess you just needed to be there." Tino explained. "Don't worry about it. So, what do you guys say we get a little fun in on the Ferris wheel?"

"No way we're gonna skip that!" Lor grinned. "It's tradition!"

"I'm with her." Carver said around mouthfuls of pseudo-Mexican food.

Tish arrived bearing a small, steaming tray. "Did I miss anything?"

"We were just talking about going on the Ferris wheel." Indicated Carver.

"So soon after eating? We'll get sick!" Tish provided the voice of reason.

"It's only the Ferris wheel." Tino argued. "It doesn't even go fast. It's not like the Whip-A-Canoe." Tino thought he heard a strange sound come from Lor at the mention of her favorite ride. 

"Perhaps…" Tish began to concede, forking different vegetables into her mouth and sipping a cup full of green tea. 

"Where would we be without our mother hen?" Lor snickered.

"That's what I sometimes wonder." Tish twisted the barb back at her friend. "I suppose the Ferris wheel couldn't hurt, but I want to hit the arcade after that."

"If we have time." Carver grinned. "It's also traditional for us to get stuck on the wheel for an hour or so."

"Yeah, why is that?" Tino asked. 

"Just like I guess." Lor yawned. "Come on, we don't have all day."

"We can't all eat as fast as you!" Carver complained.

"I know you can!" Lor shot back.

"Well, yeah, but my speed is being effected by quantity. It takes a long time to eat three family packs."

"Gee, I wonder why." Tish rolled her eyes.

"Just remember, we agreed no more of those beef and bean burritos for you." Tino smiled."

"Okay, now I thought that was on our list of things we promised never to talk about again!" Carver was clearly upset.

"He's right about that." Tish said. "We should be more considerate of our promises."

"Ha!" Carver countered. "Finally, a point for me."

"We all have our off days." Lor laughed.

************************************************************************

The Ferris wheel, as usual, got stuck when they were at the top. It was yet another tradition when traveling to Tesla Park. The infernal contraption knew exactly when the four of them got on together. 

"Well, here we are again." Tino sighed.

"Yup." Lor added.

"Uh-huh." Carver agreed.

"Yep." Tish carried the motion. 

"You know," Carver smiled, "at times like this, when we're all together, looking out over the ocean, just enjoying one another's company, I find myself thinking about-"

"Shoes?" Lor, Tino, and Tish said simultaneously. 

"Yeah. I wonder why that is?"

"Because you're always thinking about shoes?" Lor suggested.

"Can't argue that. But seriously though, it's good to be with you guys. I'm glad we can spend time like this. Because someday, we're going to grow up, things will change, and one of us may be out of the loop. I think we should always enjoy our company while we have it.

"That was well spoken, Carver." Tish beamed.

"Thank you."

Nothing else needed to be said as the sun slowly set, accentuating the lights of Tesla Park. Being together as friends was the greatest gift that they all shared equally. 

************************************************************************

And here we come to the end of the chapter, I hope you enjoyed yourself. I hope you're all prepared for a fun ride, because next time out, Lor has her date with Thompson. It's sure to be one for the record books.

I'm aware I kind of slowed things down with this one, took a little time to smell the roses. It's not the first time I've done that, and it probably won't be the last. But sometimes I feel it's important to do, especially considering how much I have to accomplish this stage, how crazy things will become. I want you all to be able to look back on the more simplistic pieces like this, not to mention the characters themselves. 

I'm feeling pretty good about this because I managed to get it out on time without a tremendous amount of effort. Perhaps it isn't my best work, but after reading it again, I think it's pretty decent. Here's hoping you all enjoyed it. Meet me back here next time for some excitement, Lor style. As always, keep reading and reviewing!

Send all questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

4/17/04 

12:37 AM, EST

E-mail: ranger_writer@yahoo.com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	8. Not So Simple Life

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Eight

"Not-So-Simple Life"

Sunday

Lor darted to and fro in the confines of her room, she never seemed to stop moving, and her friends watched in fascination as Lor fretted incessantly about her outfit, her hair, her teeth—trying in vain to make herself perfection incarnate instead of accepting who she was, as Thompson always told her.

As the group swayed their heads back and forth with Lor's movements, Tish felt moved. "Tino, Carver? If either of you see me acting like that before the Homecoming Dance, I hereby give you permission to slap me one."

"I dunno, Tish." Carver smiled. "This really isn't your style. You're more the type to hold your frustration inside until you explode in a big, um. . .Tishy kind of way."

"Excuse me?" Tish cocked a rather fierce eyebrow at her friend.

"Um, T? Little help here?" Carver asked, looking to his buddy for support.

"Hey! Don't you drag me into this!" Tino cried. "The consequences for me are a lot worse than they are for you. She'll ground me!"

"Ground you?" wondered Carver. "She's not your mom. How can Tish possibly. . .oh, I get it."

"Oh, you're so going to get it, Descartes!" Tish rounded on him. "I can't believe you said something so mean to me!" Tish seemed rather upset.

"Okay, okay, maybe it was a little insensitive, but it's true." Carver pleaded his case. "You shouldn't hold everything in!"

Lor continued her frantic pacing and mumbling as the conversation continued. "It's not that simple, Carver." Tish sighed. "I'm just. . .I'm all kinds of crazy. If I don't keep a tight rein on it, I can go over the edge. Do you have any idea how much I have to hold back for Tino's sake? When I'm alone, that's when I try to deal with all of my idiosyncrasies. But between school and drama club and dulcimer lessons and my family Tino and hanging out with you guys. . .there just isn't enough Tish to go around!"

"Tish. . ." Tino began, "I never knew you were so stressed."

"I'll be all right." She tried on a smile, blinking a few tears out of her eyes.

"It's okay." Carver said. "We'll help you. Relax, take a deep breath." Tish complied, her lungs filling with cleansing air. "There, didn't that feel good? Now, close your eyes, lean back, and take another one."

Feeling silly, Tish leaned back and did as she was told. Carver was right, to her surprise. It did feel pretty good, as though her life were manageable again. "Thanks Carver. This is just what I needed."

"Told ya. Now, take another breath."

Tish hummed, inhaled deeply, then frowned. Opening her eyes, she followed Carver's gaze back to its origin, exhaled in a gasp, and began blushing. "Hey, you-you're staring at my breasts, aren't you?!"

"Well, it kinda depends on what your definition of the word 'stare' is. . ." Carver trailed off, attempting very much in vain to defend himself.

"You are such a MAN!" Tish growled, punching him in the arm with a surprising amount of force, considering her more delicate features. It was while he was rubbing his sore arm and wincing in pain that Lore turned around and grabbed Carver, who instantly noticed the frantic look in her eyes."

"Carver!" Lor half shouted. "If you can tear yourself away from Tish's chest for a moment, I'm having a fashion crisis here that I need your help with, and I don't think that Tish's boobs have the answer!"

"She's got you there, Carv." Tino grinned.

"I'll get him, all right. . ." Tish grumbled, clearly upset.

Lor took charge, as she was running out of time before her date. "Carver, you're with me. Tish, keep breathing. Tino. . .um, enjoy the show or something." With that, Lor drageed Carver out her door and down the hall to her parents room, and the full-length mirror it held.

Tino turned back toward Tish, feeling a little sheepish. "Um, breathe in?" Tish swung a pillow at him.

Down the hall, Lor critiqued her outfit in the mirror, asking Carver's professional opinion. A simple pair of blue jeans with a white T-shirt and a navy blue sweatshirt over it, she had gotten the impression from Thompson that she should dress casual. She had tried three different styles with her hair today before finally deciding to just let it fall about her head as it always did. It would be better to save the fancier stuff for the dance.

She could feel her heart beating rapidly. Sweat bothered her so frequently that she had gone through half a stick of anti-perspirant. Here she was, less than an hour away from her big date with Thompson, and already she was feeling overwhelmed. Counting on her fingers, Lor felt confused, hyper, nervous, anxious, excited, and fearful—the perfect picture of neurotic behavior.

"Lor," Carver began, "you've gotta calm yourself down. You're gonna psych yourself out if you keep this up, and then where will you be?"

"I can't help it!" Lor groaned. "I've been trying to get a date with Thompson for like my entire life! Now that it's finally happening, I feel like I'm going to explode!"

"Yeah, and if you don't relax, you probably will."

"I know, I know! It's just. . .I so want this to be perfect, you know? I really want Thompson to like me. . .like me like me. I'm not exactly soft or anything, but. . .I've got a lot of love to give."

"And you want to give it to Thompson, right?"

"Yeah." Lor gulped. "But I'm not good at this kinda stuff. And Thompson isn't a mushy guy, he's like me. I feel like I don't have anyone to ask for help!"

"Your confidence in me is overwhelming." Carver sighed.

"I'm sorry dude, but. . .it's not like you're exactly in a relationship."

"What about Tino and Tish? Now those to have a handle on the relationship thing." Carver shifted the focus to spare himself further embarrassment.

"I don't think that would work. They aren't like me. Tino's the kind of guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. And Tish. . .well, she and I aren't very alike, and we don't see eye to eye on romance. Tish knows what she wants, and where she stands. Twenty bucks says she asks Tino to marry her after high school."

"No way! She'll get her degree first. Then they'll get married, and you'll still be chasing Thompson." Carver spoke smugly.

"Not after tonight, Carv." Lor smirked, smoothing out her sweatshirt. "Tonight, I'm going to catch him." She clasped her hands together for emphasis.

"And may God have mercy on his soul." Carver muttered under his breath.

"What was that?!"

"I said, 'that outfit is hot."

"Thanks dude. Wish me luck!" Lor grinned, half skipping down her stairs. She slipped a pair of sneakers on, waved to Carver, and went out the front door, leaving Carver feeling alone. Sighing, he went back to Lor's bedroom to collect his friends.

"Hey, I thought heard a noise out there. Did Lor leave?" Tino inquired when he saw that she wasn't behind Carver.

Tish snorted. "Are you sure that noise you heard wasn't the sound of Carver being a disgusting pig?"

"All right, I'm sorry already!" Carver gave in. "I couldn't help it! It was wasn't planned just. . .suddenly they were real noticeable. I'm only human!"

"That's still no excuse! On top of that, my own boyfriend didn't even stand up for me!"

"I'm sorry, Tish." Tino explained. "I thought it was funny! I mean, I can understand why you would feel hurt, but it was only Carver, and it's not like he was trying to peek in on you changing."

"Well it's still demeaning! Don't you think I deserve better?!"

"You know I have trouble with confrontations. . ." Tino said haltingly.

"Well then, while we're on the subject of anatomy, maybe you should reach down and find a pair!"

Tino blinked. Carver laughed hysterically. "Man, she got you but good!"

"Okay," Tino sighed, "what do Carv and I have to do to make this up to you?"

"Well, there is that new natural foods restaurant that opened up downtown. . ."

Tino and Carver knew it was going to be a long Sunday evening.

As Lor waited outside the Funville arcade, she focused on breathing in and out steadily, and also on keeping herself from shaking too much. She inhaled deeply and resolved to take control of her anxiety. She was Lor MacQuarrie, after all. She had commanded her Pudding Ball team to the finals. She had stared down defiantly at punks from Campo Fields. She had taken second place in a talent show, still held the top score for Motorcycle Space Avengers, and fallen only one basket short of winning a ten thousand dollar prize. Surely she could manage to get a grip on her emotions. She could do anything when she put her mind to it.

A quick glance at Thompson's approaching form dashed that hope to pieces. "Hey, Lor! I'm glad you could make it."

Lor struggled to speaking, focusing every last ounce of her will on not choking up or shutting down. "I-I'm glad we finally got a chance to do this. I promised myself that I would do it right this time, that I wouldn't try to fake you out. So whatever does or doesn't happen between us tonight, I just want you to know that for once, this is the real me." Lor cupped her hands over her mouth in shock, not quite believing that she had just said something so personal. Suddenly, she felt twice as vulnerable around Thompson as usual.

"Hey, it's okay." Thompson reassured her. "The real you is the one I like. You're totally cool, Lor, when you don't try and act fake. You're athletic, you're funny, you know how to have a good time; I'm honored to call you my date for the evening."

Lor made a conscious effort not to blush, but her face still turned redder than a ripe tomato. "I, um. . .ger. . .that is. . ."

"Lor, relax. We're just going to have a good time tonight. Shoot a little pool, get a little something to eat. There's no pressure here."

Lor nodded her head in acknowledgement. "O-okay. I. . I-"

"Tell you what? Why don't we go in and play some pool? A good competition always seems to get you going." Lor nodded again an stumbled through the door of the Funville arcade. The familiar atmosphere instantly made Lor much more comfortable, and she walked next to Thompson all the way to the pool tables without incident. As she stepped over to the rack and gripped a cue stick, Lor began to feel like her old self again.

Thompson inserted a dollar into the slot on the side of the table, and Lor reached for the triangle on the opposite end. Thompson collected the balls and passed them down for Lor to rack up. Having regained her confidence, Lor thought it would only be fair to allow her date to break first. Thompson managed to sink two balls with his opening shot, and for the first time since she and Tish had bet their allowances on a winner take all game, Lor felt truly challenged. Of course, back during that contest, Tish had totally flubbed a critical shot near the end, much to her chagrin. She ended up scratching, thus ensuring Lor an easy victory. She hadn't been too eager to take Lor on again in competition after that, and the two members of the fairer sex had since formed an unholy alliance that consistently brought defeat to poor Tino and Carver. Lor was still rather proud of the accomplishment.

Even so, she was having the time of her life now. Thompson had been right, this game was bringing out the best in her. She was truly in the zone, and Thompson was pushing her to her limits. All of her earlier qualms and hesitations had vanished into thin air. Lor MacQuarrie was truly alive.

Half an hour later, Lor had pulled a proverbial rabbit out of her hat and managed to drop the eight ball before Thompson had a chance to stick it to her. "That was great, Lor! I've gotta admit, you surprised me at the end there. I had figured that for an impossible shot!" Thompson was duly impressed.

"It's all in the wrist." Lor grinned.

"So, are you having a good time?" Thompson inquired

"The best! I'm sorry I didn't just act like myself sooner! I hope I can make up for lost time.!"

"I'd say you're off to a good start. Do you want to swing by the Snack Shack? Maybe get a little something to eat?"

"Oh, I guess I could go for one of those half pound cheeseburgers and a boat of chili cheese fries. Oh, and a diet soda. Us girls need to watch our figures, you know!" Lor laughed.

"That's what I usually order!" Thompson exclaimed.

"No way! That is so cool! Extra pickles?"

"I'm more of a steak sauce kinda guy. Anyway, let's go get our grub on, Lor."

"I am so there!"

The walk over to the Snack Shack was revealing to both teens. Thompson was very inquisitive about Lor's family, and Lor proceeded to regale him with different humorous stories. His personal favorite was about the Christmas when Coach Colson spilled his mashed potatoes all over the kitchen floor. Amazingly, it failed to spoil either of their appetites.

After placing their orders, they sat down inside the small dining area, and Thompson popped a question that wasn't at all easy for Lor to answer. "So, what's it like, living with your family? I've never known any with such a large family as you."

"Well, I. . .it's. . .not that easy to explain." Lor sighed and set her burger back down in the basket. "We're different than any other family I know. We can get kind rowdy. Actually, we're always rowdy. It's a little weird being the only girl. It can be pretty difficult for me to relate, lately. It wasn't always this way, but now that I'm getting older, being a woman means something different, you know? It's not quite the same as when I was younger. And then there's some things that never change, you just get used to them. Not having any privacy, being totally invisible to your parents. . .you really have to learn to take care of yourself. Don't get me wrong, I love my family. . .but every once in awhile, I wish I lived like Tish, or Carver, or even Tino. Whenever I visit them. . .I can tell that they have pretty close families, like you can feel the love in the room. And I'm not saying my house isn't happy, or that I'm unloved. It's just. . .different, you know? Only so much of my parents to go around, and I'm older, so they don't have much time to check in on me."

"I'm sorry." Thompson gulped, beginning to feel like a cad. "I shouldn't have asked you so personal a question. It's really none of my business."

"Don't worry about it. If I didn't want to tell you, I wouldn't." Lor picked at her fries.

"Would it bother you if I asked just one more?" Thompson queried hesitantly. Lor nodded in response, biting into her burger. "Why. . .why did you choose me? Out of all the guys in middle and high school, you've had this huge crush on me for like forever. I just wanted to know what makes me so special."

Lor finished half of her burger and was working on her fries before she answered. The minute of silence that passed worried Thompson, he was concerned that he had said the wrong thing and that Lor was giving him the silent treatment. When Lor finally spoke, Thompson heard a story the likes of which he never expected to hear from Lor MacQuarrie.

"Thompson, I've been totally into you for a long time, that's true. You're cool, and awesome dresser, and you know your sports, just like me. Plus, you're pretty cute." Lor grinned. "But there's more to it than that. Back in the seventh grade, that was when Tino and Tish got together. Too bad they didn't see fit to tell us until a year later, but that's beside the point." Lor ground her teeth slightly at the memory. "It was a Thursday evening, and I had an extra five bucks in my pocket, so I had decided to come down here, to the Snack Shack, and treat myself to a little pre-weekend junk food. So I ordered my usual, paid the guy, grabbed some salt packets and a straw, then turned around to go out to the dock. I figured I'd watch the sunset and try to forget about an algebra test I had the next day. So I'm walking over, and what do I see on the stone wall in front of the beach? I see Tish sitting there with Tino, and she's holding him really, really tight. But not in a mushy way, otherwise I would've figured out their secret right then and there. Tish was crying really hard, and Tino was. . .well, he was taking care of Tish. That's what Tino does, that's what he's best at. I remember that I was a little scared because I'd never seen her looking so upset. . .she was a mess. I found out a few days later that someone in her family had died. When I look back on that now, one thing sticks with me. Tino would've done for Tish what he did that day whether she was his girlfriend or not. That wasn't what it was about. He was being her friend. More than that, he was being that person we all need, someone we can relax around. And I knew in that moment that I was missing something. I wanted to have someone to turn to. I wanted to know there was someone I could break down in front of and they wouldn't think less of me. Instead of always being my usual self. Dependable old Lor, you always know what she's thinking."

"Sometimes you have feelings you can't explain, right?" Thompson ventured.

"Now you're getting it. I'm not good at this stuff at all. Sometimes I get in these weird moods and I don't know why. You know me, I'm usually fun, right?" Lor asked for a second opinion.

"You're always fun. Whenever I see you, you're always doing something you love. Or trying to impress me."

"Yeah, but that isn't all there is to me. There's more. What you're talking about. . .that's the part of me that Tino and Carver and Tish see. And it's true, those things are a big part of who I am. But when I'm alone. . .by myself. . .there's more, and not even my friends know that."

"Lor. . .you don't have to tell me all of your most personal stuff if you don't want to."

"I promised you that I would be myself. And this is me, the real me, the complete me that no one else knows about. And I don't really understand that yet, I'm not sure what it means. But you wanted to know about me, so I'm keeping it real." She sighed. "Maybe I'm just crazy."

"Lor. . .I really didn't expect this from you."

"Guess there's more to me than meets the eye." Lor smirked. "So, are you gonna finish your fries, or what?" She had a splotch of chili stuck to her left cheek, but either she didn't notice, or didn't care.

"Knock yourself out. I'm just happy to finally meet the real you."

"Yeah, well you know how there's a lot more to yourself than just what people see at school? Well, there's more to me than just the sporty girl. Stick around if you wanna learn more." Lor flipped one of the fries in the air and caught it with her mouth. "I swar, Carver and I have to resubmit our petition to make this an Olympic sport.

"Think you could teach me how to do that?" Thompson asked as he watched Lor repeat her favorite trick.

"Think you can teach me how to do that?" Thompson asked.

"Nothing would make me happier." Lor smiled. This grin wasn't filled with her usual mischievousness, something that would continue to puzzle Lor years later.

Congratulations to you all, for I have managed to produce an update to this story a full week ahead of schedule. That's got to be some kind of record. It started out that I just had some extra time and wanted to make the work easier on myself, and before I knew it, I was done way ahead of schedule. Sounds like a cause for celebration to me, but we'll get to that in a moment.

On a more personal note, May 4 will mark the official 1 year anniversary of my Awakening project. I'll be holding something of a party like chat online that night, where I hope to discuss the future of this project, as well as passing out an exclusive little bit of fanfic goodness to commemorate this anniversary. It will be available only through IM, you can find the contact info below. This chat will be held overnight, kicking off somewhere around 1 or 1:30 AM EST on Tuesday night/Wed morning (May 4-5). Most of my usual crowd are aware. If any of you can't attend but wish you could, you may contact me via e-mail on Tuesday, May 4, and I will send you back the commemorative fanfic special.

Next up, the events everyone has been looking toward begin happening. It's Homecoming time, and everything will be different! Get set for some events that will rock the course of everyone's personal lives! Meet me back here in 3 weeks for "Last Dance Before An Execution." Later days!

As always, please send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

5/1/04

12:45 AM, EST

E-mail: rangerwriteryahoo.com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	9. Last Dance Before An Execution

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Nine

"Last Dance Before An Execution"

Homecoming

Feeling nervous was not a sensation that she was accustomed to. Yet between the dress she was going with, and the variety of hairstyles she had spent the afternoon trying, she still couldn't arrive at a decision. How could she possibly feel anything but anxiety? When 4:30 arrived and she still hadn't come up with a plan, a higher power had arrived to save the day, and all was right with the world once more, sort of.

Tish Katsufrakis put down her copy of the New World Encyclopedia (Volume H) to inspect the miracle her mother had intervened to bestow upon her. Miracle, indeed, was the best word for it. "Mama, you're a fashion genius!" Tish exclaimed, twirling around in a complete circle.

"But of course! I am egg salad with hair fission!" Her mother responded in her trademark thick accent.

"I'll say!" Things were definitely looking up. Tish held her dress in front of her, admiring her new look. "Yes! The curls on the ends line up perfectly with the dress! Thank you mama!"

"Is nothing!" Now, hurrying up and go change into dress before time is running out!"

The "transformation" went quicker than Tish expected, and twenty minutes later, Tish found that she had some trouble believing that she was the young woman staring back in the mirror. Perhaps she would have to rethink her wardrobe, blue looked much better on her than she recalled. Satisfied that her outfit was ready, Tish crossed to the small dresser where she kept her accessories. She knew she had a makeup kit in one of her drawers, but she had decided to forego it. She wanted people to like her for who she was, not who she could make herself appear to be. Which brought to mind a similar decision. A small box rested near the corner of the surface, one she rarely took out, but perhaps this was a proper occasion. She had never been fond of contact lenses. They were exceedingly difficult to put in and take out, they made her eyes feel boogery, and she would sometimes forget she had them on, thinking she lost her glasses somewhere. Her glasses were not unlike an extension of herself, and she wasn't vain enough to give them up.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a ring of the doorbell. Had her date arrived already? Suddenly, the entire afternoon she had spent in frantic preparation seemed like nothing. Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard her father calling down the hallway, announcing Tino's presence. "Tell him to come to my room, Papa! It's all right, I'm already dressed."

Half a minute later, Tish heard the slow tapping of footsteps down the hall while she gave her new hairdo one last look in the mirror. "Come in," Tish called as she heard the knock on her door.

"Hi Tish." Tino started. "I came to pick you up but I wasn't. . .sure. . ."

"What?" Tish asked, feeling self-conscious when she realized Tino was staring at her. "Oh, right. I clean up good, don't I?" She giggled.

"Tish, I don't think you want to be seen next to me. You look to good! All I did was put on a nice pair of pants, a jacket, and slick my hair down."

"Don't be silly, you look fine!"

"Are you sure?"

"Tino, it's fine, really. You're not hung up on appearances, remember?" She laughed.

"Right. But what about you? I've never seen you go to such effort before!"

"Much as you'd love me to placate your fragile male ego and say "I did it all for you," I actually thought I should shake things up a bit. I have to admit, I wasn't very sure about this when Carver chose this outfit for me, but now I think it's great. I wouldn't want to wear it everyday or anything, but it looks better on me than I recalled at the fashion store."

"You're beautiful, Tish. Really, I mean that."

"Thank you. Every girl needs to hear that every once in awhile. And I couldn't think of a more handsome escort." Tish smiled, straightening Tino's collar.

"I'm honored to escort you, Miss Katsufrakis."

"Well, you're certainly hitting all the right notes, Tino. So, did you hear from Lor?" Tish asked.

"Last I checked, she was supposed to be meeting Thompson at the dance. Lor was kind of bummed about this weekend because he was so busy packing for the move, Lor hasn't seen him. But she's definitely psyched about this dance."

Tish sighed. "It just doesn't seem right. I'm happy for her, but at the same time, Thompson's going to be leaving. I don't think that's really sunk in for her yet."

"She probably is going to be pretty crushed when that happens." Tino agreed. "But what can we do?"

"The only thing we can do, Tino. We have to be her friends. Carver too."

"Lor's had feelings for him for a long time now. I just hope she's able to get past it. She deserves to be happy."

"I don't know." Tish sighed again. "I mean, I know Lor. She has her passions, and Thompson is definitely one of them. And we know she isn't boy crazy, it's him specifically who she has feelings for. Once he moves, that's going to leave her with a big void, and I don't think it's something that can be filled by just anyone. She really likes him, and I empathize with that. After three years, you start to appreciate that everyone isn't as lucky as you and I."

"You feel guilty, don't you?" Tino asked.

"Maybe a little."

"So do I."

"Yeah? Well then let's do something about it. This is Lor's problem, and we have to be ready to help her. She deserves that." The corners of Tish's lips rose slightly. "Make sure you tell her how pretty she looks tonight, okay? It's important we keep her in high self-esteem."

"I can handle that." Tino confirmed. "What about Carver?"

"Oh, I think we can be sure he'll be with us. He cares about Lor too."

"Sounds good. So now what?"

"Now, as you so pleasantly put before, you have the pleasure of escorting me to the dance." She extended her arm, though it took Tino several seconds to realize that he was supposed to hook it with his own. "You know, we don't get many nights like these. You have to enjoy them while we're young."

"Well, then, I guess it's a good thing we've still got a few good years of our life left." The couple headed toward the dance with warm feelings not only for each other, but for the good friend they feared would soon need a leg up.

The rain slowed them down considerably, as they had to wait for breaks in their travel, making their way to the dance block by block.

Lor was already at the dance before Tino and Tish arrived. She was pacing back and forth, feeling self-conscious in her dress, which still felt entirely out of character for her. Carver was with her, but from the expression on Lor's face, his presence wasn't having a very soothing effect.

"Lor!" Tish called as she and Tino arrived. "You're here already! Wow, you look really good! So how are you doing?"

"Not too good." Lor said shakily. "I'm nervous about all this. I feel really different in this dress, and I'm still worried about looking stupid in front of Thompson. Plus, I'm on my fifth glass of punch, and it really isn't helping that I have to pee every ten minutes."

"Thompson's meeting you here, right?" Tino asked.

"That's what he told me. He said he'd be here at six, but it's already quarter after." Lor groaned.

"Hey, relax." Carver injected. "You said he's packing up this weekend. His family's probably got him all involved. You know that Thompson is a dependable guy, right? He'll be here."

"Thanks Carver." Lor smiled.

"Anytime. And now if you'll excuse me, I see another lovely young woman who's all alone, and definitely in need of a knight in shining armor." He trotted off in the direction of a forlorn looking redhead who looked as though she had been stood up. Tino laughed to himself. That was Carver all right, always ready to come to the aid of a pretty face or a great set of legs.

"You look beautiful, Lor." Tino reassured her.

"Carver said that too." Lor smiled. "It still feels a little weird hearing it from you guys."

"You should get used to hearing that from lots of guys, not just us."

"Okay, now you're starting to sound like an after school special."

"Sorry."

"I'll forgive you as long as you don't mention anything about 'blossoming."

Tish rolled her eyes. She was about to mention the mystical transformations of adolescence, but to the mercy of the others, Ruby and Percy came running up with exciting news.

"Hey! Did you guys hear?!" Percy asked.

"About what?"

"Chloe Montez was in the girls' room when someone burst into her stall! She was so frightened that she jumped clean off her seat." Ruby explained.

"That sounds like Chloe." Lor nodded.

"Ha! That's nothing!" Percy picked up where Ruby left off. "She fell on the floor when she was scared off her seat. She grabbed onto the toilet to help her up, and she accidentally grabbed the flusher. She pulled it so hard, a huge spurt of water shot up and hit the overhead lights. It started a small electrical fire that set off the sprinkler system in there. She got soaked by the sprinklers!"

"Poor Chloe." Tish sounded concerned. "That girl has all the worst luck."

"Yeah." Ruby agreed. "Then the janitor responded to the alarm and came in with the fire extinguisher. He didn't realize she was still in there, so she got covered with the foam."

"Is there no end to her humiliation?!" Tino wondered.

"Well, I think that's about it." Percy noted. "But I think she finally managed to top herself. I think she might have slipped out the back before anyone else could see her. Man, what a story!"

"Is she all right?" Tish asked.

"She's probably had her ego bruised a lot, but in all honesty, she's gotta be used to it by now." Ruby offered. "I know she gets a bum deal, but it's not like anyone does this stuff to her on purpose. She just has some kind of curse, I guess. By the way, nice dress." She added, to change the subject. "You too Lor."

"If anyone ever knew how to wear a formal dress, it's you, Ruby." Lor returned the compliment. "I'm in over my head here."

"This isn't usually my kind of thing either, but I like to dress up from time to time. Besides, Percy cleans up pretty good. We want to have a good picture to take home with us."

"Carver put me up to this." Tish blushed. "I still haven't completely adjusted to this look, but I think I can live with it."

Ruby chuckled. "Hey, if you've got it, flaunt it. That's what these kinds of dances are for."

"Well, if you guys don't mind, I'm going to go freshen up. The punch has caught up with me again." Lor said, walking away.

Ruby called after Lor. "Use the one on the far end of the hallway, the other one is still wet!" Lor signaled a thumbs up in response before disappearing through the double doors of the gym.

 As if on cue, the lights darkened as she exited, and a new song came on, "Walkin' On Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves. Tish looked over and saw Carver now dancing with the girl who had caught his eye earlier, but it was Tino who noticed the rain soaked figure who had just come into the gymnasium. "Tish! It's Thompson!"

"Huh?" Tish wondered as Tino waved at Thompson, getting his attention. "Thompson's here?" Tish followed Tino's gaze and indeed saw him approaching.

"Um, is it just me, or does he not look ready for a dance?" Ruby voiced the concern on everyone's mind.

"Tish, Tino, man am I glad I found you guys, where's Lor?" Thompson asked when he was finally within earshot.

"She's powdering her nose." Tish explained. "Thompson, um, you look kinda awful, is everything okay?"

"No, it's not. My dad got a phone call an hour ago saying a cab was on the way to our house to pick us up. There's a crisis and his boss needs him in New York and at work for a meeting on Monday morning. We have to leave right away! I convinced my dad to have the cab stop by here so I could say goodbye to Lor. I feel really bad, I know how much this meant to her!"

"She's gonna be crushed!" Tino shouted. "There has to be something we can do!"

"I wish there was." Thompson sighed deeply. "I know how unfair this is to her, but our flight leaves in an hour. I can't stay. Look, I wrote Lor a goodbye letter. I had wanted to give it to her myself next week, but I'm out of time. Can you guys give it to her for me?"

"Of course." Tish reached out and took the proffered envelope with Lor's name on it.

"Listen you guys, this wasn't the way I pictured saying goodbye to any of you, especially Lor. Take care of Lor for me, all right? I've got Lor's number and her address, so I'll be in touch. Feel free to write me too, okay? I'll send Lor my address soon. And tell Carver I said goodbye too. He'll look good on the track team this spring. Later days, right?"

"Right." Tino blinked, feeling like a deer in the headlights.

"Goodbye, Thompson." Tish said sadly.

"Keep it real on the east side." Said Percy.

"Place won't be the same without ya." Ruby smirked. "Take care."

"I will. I really have to go now. Goodbye." Thompson said sadly. He quickly made his way back to the door, then ran out. Tino heard the sound of a car pulling away quickly, presumably the cab.

"Did that really just happen?" Tino asked, finding his voice.

"It certainly was surreal." Tish blinked twice. She looked down at the envelope in her hand. "I can't give this to Lor.  It'll tear her apart!"

"I don't want to do it either." Tino sighed. "I hate giving out bad news. Especially news like this."

"I'll do it." Ruby offered. "It seems like every dance I go to, I hand out bad news to somebody."

Tish shook her head. "Thanks Ruby, but you don't have to do that. We're her friends, it's our responsibility."

"Actually," Percy began, "your job is to her friends, to be there for her in her time of need. I think you should let Ruby give her the news. That way if she shoots the messenger, it won't be one of her closest friends."

"Gee, thanks Percy." Ruby chuckled. "It's okay though, really. I see Carver's already enjoying himself." She jerked her thumb out in Carver's direction. "Why don't you two go dance. I'll try and let Lor down as easy as possible. You guys can come in and be her friends afterward."

Tino looked at Tish. "What do you think?"

"I don't know." Tish responded. "On one hand, it sounds pretty good. But on the other hand, I worry about her getting news like this without any of her friends there, especially since we know."

"What if we let Ruby tell her and you and I stand next to her?" Tino asked.

"I guess it's better that than anything else."

"Works for me." Ruby accepted the plan. "Um, Percy, you might wanna go get some punch or something. This is something best handled among us girls."

"Let me know how it works out, then. And tell Lor I'm sorry for her loss. I know we're not exactly friends, but. . .this is a rough break for anyone to have to swallow." He bowed in a gentlemanly manner, then walked over to the refreshments.

"Wait, are you saying I'm one of the girls?" Tino asked. Neither Ruby nor Tish said anything for a moment, leaving an uncomfortable silence.

"Okay," Ruby explained, "so when Lor comes in, let me do the real talking. I'll make myself scarce afterwards so you guys can be there for her." Lor came back through the doors at the moment, and Ruby was suddenly faced with the realization that this might be harder than she had previously thought. "She looks so happy."

"You sure you don't want us to do this?" Tino asked.

"No, giving out bad news at dances is something of a tradition for me." She smirked. "Okay, wish me luck." Ruby smiled and turned in Lor's direction. "Hi Lor. You look really good."

"Um, thanks? You already said that though." Lor wore a puzzled expression.

"Oh, you know me. Sometimes I just have to say things twice."

"Um. . .sure." Lor obviously didn't believe Ruby, but she wasn't about to have an argument about it. "So did Thompson get here yet?" Her lips took on a longing expression.

"Funny you should say that. . ."

"It is?"

"Lor. . .I just want to say I'm sorry about this. Something's kind of come up."

"Okay, what's going on?" Lor demanded. "Tino? Tish? What's happening?"

"Lor. . ." Tish's eyes teared up a bit, and she lifted her glasses to wipe them from her eyes.

"This came for you." Ruby offered the envelope to Lor.

The blonde hesitantly took it from the girl, ripping the end open to read what was inside. One paragraph into it, Lor moved away from the others, walking back out into the hallway. Slowly, she let herself sink to the floor. Her hands shook as she resumed the reading.

Inside, Tino started to follow her, but Tish put her hand on his shoulder and shook her head. Clearly, this was a time that Lor would be best left alone—there was little anyone could say or do for her to make the situation any better, and that was perhaps the most frustrating element of the whole situation.

"That went well." Tino said quietly.

"I hope she's ready to talk to you guys in a little bit." Ruby exhaled. "Tell her I'm sorry for her loss. No one should have to go through what she is right now, but I guess it can't be helped. Anyway, I should get back to Percy. The big lug needs me next to him to help him look good." She smiled. "Good luck guys."

"Thanks for everything, Ruby." Tino smiled, blushing a little. "And uh, you really look good. Remind Percy of that sometime."

Ruby grinned at him. "I try to a little every day. Still don't know if I show it as well as Tish here." She laughed. "She makes you look good, y'know."

"What, this old thing?" Tish smiled.

"Yeah, that old thing. Anyway, maybe I'll catch you guys on the dance floor."

"Later Ruby!" Tish called as she and Tino watched the girl move off.

With timing usually only found in sitcoms, Carver chose that moment to return to his friends. "Man, that Gwendolyn really knows how to dance. Good looker, too."

"So what happened to her?" Tish asked.

"Turns out my shoes clash with her gloves." Carver explained. "I don't know why I didn't see that in the first place. I must be losing my touch."

"Oh yeah." Tino commented sarcastically. "I can't tell you how many girls I've turned down because our wardrobes don't match."

"Tell me about it." Carver continued, clearly failing to pick up on Tino's sarcasm. Tish wondered if years of close, personal contact with Tino had bled away Carver's ability to detect any sarcasm in his friends. "So anyway, what happened to Lor?"

"You missed the drama." Said Tish, who took a few moments to relate the ongoing saga of Lor and Thompson to Carver.

"Bummer." Carver emphasized. "And she went out into the hallway?"

"Yeah. I thought we should give her a little time to compose herself. This probably hurt her really bad, and I know Lor, she wouldn't want us to see her if she's falling apart."

"Let me go talk to her. You guys just go dance. I know this sounds a little cold, but a lot of preparation went into the evening. You shouldn't let what's happening to Lor ruin that, it's not your fault."

"How are we supposed to have a good time when Lor is so down!" Tino demanded to know.

"Try not to think about it. Look, Lor wouldn't want us all telling her how sorry we are and not having fun on her account. That will just make her feel worse. We'll all do everything we can to help her, I just think I should talk to her first. You guys are a couple, so I really doubt she'd be interested in seeing you right now. If she's angry, she might say something she doesn't mean, and that will just make everything even worse."

"He's right." Tish agreed. "As much as I hate to say it, this is probably the best way. We'll be here if you need us."

"Thanks."

"Hey Carv?" Tino stopped his friend on his way out.

"Yeah?"

"Take care of her, okay?"

"Count on it."

Carver slipped out the door to see if he could help his friend. But Tino still felt powerless. He searched for Tish's hand with his own and gave it a squeeze. "Tish? Is Lor going to be okay?"

"I don't know, Tino. I hope so. She's going through a lot right now, but she's strong."

"I'm glad we were all together when this happened. And I'm glad you're here."

"So am I, Tino. So am I."

The steady beat of rain on the roof seemed to intensify at that moment, like the call of drums in the distance. Tino couldn't help but feel at the moment that they were all being beaten down tonight by an invisible force.

Well, that was certainly fun, wasn't it? I must admit, I was tempted to keep right on going here, but I figured it's more fun to watch all of you wonder what's going to happen next. It's always good to leave your audience wanting more. Much as I'd love to tell you all, I'm sure it will just make you appreciate the next installment all the more.

So next time out? Expect some conversation with Lor, some dancing, some drama, and "the slap heard 'round the dance!"

As always, please write in to tell me how I'm doing, I love hearing from you all out there, even if you aren't happy. There's always room for improvement.

Send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

05/21/04

12:41 AM, EST

E-mail: rangerwriteryahoo.com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	10. It's Only A Paper Moon

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Ten

"It's Only A Paper Moon"

Homecoming

In the long, dark corridor that was the hallway outside the gymnasium, the reverberating sound of the gym doors closing sounded not unlike the loud clanging of a prison cell shutting. Cautiously, Carver walked out into the hall, spying Lor only a few feet down, sitting on the floor with her back to the wall. "Lor? I thought we should, y'know, talk a little." Carver spoke hesitantly.

"Go away Carver." Lor said quietly. There wasn't any menace or threat behind the words, as Carver had expected. Indeed, Lor spoke with the voice of someone who sounded thoroughly defeated.

"Look, I know this can't be easy, and I promise not to say a bunch of meaningless junk you don't want to hear. I won't even look at you if you don't want me to. Just hear me out." Lor didn't respond, although she didn't insist he leave, either. Taking that as a sign of encouragement, Carver forged ahead. "So, this sucks, huh? I know there's nothing I can say to make things any better, but for what it's worth, Thompson seemed like a pretty cool guy. You should've seen him, he was really upset that he didn't even get to say goodbye to you. I mean, I know you guys weren't together long, but-"

"So you're saying this is my fault?!" Lor yelled at him. "That if I had gotten my act together a lot sooner, I would've had a lot more time to spend with Thompson?! That if I had only listened to what you guys were always saying and just been myself more often, things could have been different?!"

"Hey, I never said that!" Carver tried to defend himself without further upsetting Lor.

"Well you should have!" Lor howled. "Do you have any idea how much I've messed things up? How I've lost one of the most important things I've ever had and I have no one but myself to blame?"

"You need to get past this, Lor. Maybe it'll take some time, but you owe it to yourself to move on."

"Get out of here." Lor hissed at him. "I'm perfectly capable of noticing my own mistakes, Carver. I don't need you to give me reminders."

"I'm not here to do that."

"I don't want you here at all! GET OUT!" She yelled.

Carver sighed, turning back towards the gym. "Is this how you're going to deal with all your problems?"

"Whatever it takes." Lor said darkly.

Carver, knowing that the conversation was at an end, reluctantly turned back into the dance.

When Carver came back into the gymnasium, he was looking dejected. He sighed loudly and maneuvered over to the punch bowl, spooning himself a full cup and drinking deeply.

"Things didn't go so well, did they?" Tish could already read the proverbial writing on Carver's face.

"Not good at all. She's totally flipping out. She started blaming herself and all those times she tried to impress Thompson, man, it was brutal!"

"Poor Lor." Tino felt at a loss. "We've got to help her!"

Tish felt too upset to even quip that Tino had stolen her line. "Agreed, but what can we do?"

"I think we should leave her alone for a little while." Carver suggested. "At this point, anything we say to her might only make things worse."

"Great." Tino sighed. "At this rate we're never going to get Lor back."

"She's not a toaster, Tino." Tish scolded. She's not something you take in to get repaired. She's a real person who's hurting really bad right now. It's up to us to help her all we can, but in the end, she has to want to get through this. We can't take those most important steps for her."

"But if we leave her to her own devices, she might never take them at all!" Tino argued. "You know how she can be. She's not, y'know, practical."

"This from someone who once tried to bypass his childhood to look more adult. And who intended to stay locked in his room until the world was purged of clowns. And who decided to never again to have emotions, and-"

"We get the point, Carver!" Tino flinched. "Okay, okay, so sometimes I do impractical things too! But you see, that's just it. What happens every time I behaved like that? You guys were always there to reel me back in. With a little assist from my Mom. This is what friends do!"

"Right, because we care about you, and because we need to maintain the integrity of our group dynamic." Tish explained. "The four of us have always been happiest when we're together. If one of us goes missing from the loop, it throws off our whole equilibrium."

"Yeah," Carver agreed with Tish's assessment, "but right now, I think we should just let Lor have a little time alone. Let the initial shock pass over, and this whole Thompson thing sink in. Then, we give her the friend treatment."

"We haven't had a lot of luck in the romance department, have we? I should have known we were cursed five years ago." Tish sighed.

"Five years ago?" Tino asked, puzzled.

Tish tried to remind her friends. "Yeah. You know, that rainy weekend when we couldn't go anywhere and out of boredom we played that game of spin the bottle? Of course, it did only last for one spin."

"Yeah?" Tino complained, "Well you didn't have to kiss Carver."

"We agreed never to mention that horrible incident ever again!" Carver's voice raised an octave.

"I was just making a point!" Tish countered.

"Well, you brought it up, so you owe us a dollar each! We made that an official amendment to our friendship charter!" Tino punctuated his victory by holding his hand out.

"Fine!" Tish grimaced, lifting her left foot and taking her shoe off. Rummaging around for the few dollars she had slipped onto her person in case of emergency.

"You're keeping your money in your shoe?" Carver asked.

"Yes, Mr. Fashion Mogul. Seeing as how you went to so much trouble to pick those outfit for me, you neglected a handbag." She sniffed, handing Tino two dollar bills.

"All right! The Chug-A-Freezes are on me after the dance, guys. I da man!"

Tish immediately snatched one of the bills back from her boyfriend. "And you're aware of the penalties for saying 'I da man' when we're in public! But just to be on the safe side, I think I'll move this to a more secure location." To Tino's disappointment, the money disappeared somewhere into Tish's dress.

"But, aw man."

"Smooth move, T." Carver chuckled, taking his dollar from Tino.

"Forget it, let's get back to Lor. At least let me talk to her for just a minute." Tino pleaded.

"Tino, I'm not sure if that's a good idea. . ." Tish hesitated.

"I won't be able to enjoy myself until I see for myself how she is; until I know that I've done all I can for her. Please, Tish."

"Go." She said quietly. "I'll wait here for you."

"Thanks. I'll be back as soon as I can." Tino moved to go out the doors into the hall. Halfway there, he turned back to his friends, nodded to Carver, gave Tish a kiss on the cheek, and then went out into the great beyond.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Carver asked.

"No." Tish admitted. "But it's what Tino wants, and if I deny him, then he's only going to start resenting me. Maybe everything will go fine with Lor. Or maybe Tino just needs to learn this lesson for himself, I don't know. 'To ere is human,' right?"

Tino stepped out into the hallway, and immediately noticed two things. It was quite dark, and it was quite empty. Lor wasn't there. Worried, Tino called her name, becoming concerned that she might have done something rash. He checked inside the door wells of several classrooms, but none of them were hiding his friend. When he reached the end of the hall, Tino saw his quarry through the small window on the doors that led outside. Lor was out in the rain, on her knees.

"Lor!" Tino was outside in a second, braving the downpour without a second thought. Lor hadn't moved from her position, she was still sitting motionless on her knees, her head tilted towards the heavens, as though asking whatever higher power she believed in why she was being tortured so. The letter Thompson had written for was clutched in one of her hands, the rain having long since curled the edges and allowing water to run off it constantly. Tino hoped it would still be in readable condition for her. "Lor, what are you doing out here?"

"Trying to get some privacy." She responded with a distant voice.

"This is crazy. Come on, Lor, you can't stay out here. You'll catch pneumonia."

"I don't care. Leave me alone, Tino. I'm busy."

"Not a chance! Now I know you're hurting, and I don't pretend to know what that's like, but I do know that you need your friends. This is the kind of stuff that friends are for. Let us help you, Lor."

"Why? So you and Tish can parade around in front of me and be a constant reminder to what I don't have?! Ha! No thanks, Tino. I'm just fine."

"I'm not leaving until you let me help you." Tino insisted.

"What's your malfunction, anyway?! Tish is waiting for you! I guess I was wrong. You must be a really rotten boyfriend to give all your attention to another woman on a special night like this. How do you think that must make her feel?"

"Tish is your friend too, Lor. She's not mad at me, she's worried about you. We all are."

"Yeah, well, there's nothing to worry about. Everything that happened here tonight is my own stupid fault, and having you guys talk to me just makes me feel even more pathetic than I'm already feeling, so I'd appreciate it if you'd just go back inside and tell the guys I want to handle this by myself."

"Why won't you let us help you, Lor?"

"Because you couldn't possibly understand what I'm going through. None of you can. Tish is waiting for you. Now go away and leave me alone, Tino."

"Why can't I stay?"

"For the same reasons that you didn't want to cry in front of me! Now LEAVE-ME-ALONE!!!!!"

Tino reached for something to say, but he couldn't get a grip around any words that wouldn't just upset Lor further. Sadly, he turned around and slowly began walking away, wincing with each sob that Lor choked back in a desperate attempt to maintain a shred of her dignity.

"How's Lor?" Tish asked when Tino returned to her, rain soaked and looking considerably the worse for wear.

"She's not too happy with me, I'm afraid." Tino sighed. "I tried to help her get over this. I know she can't do it overnight, but she should at least come back to the dance and try and have a good time."

"She's hurting pretty badly, Tino. I don't think she's going to be able to have a good time for a little while. She may just have to deal with this in her own way."

"Wow." Tino was once again impressed with the natural abilities of women. "That's what she told me. She also said that you were waiting for me and I had to get back to you. And now as I see myself standing here, dripping wet, with you in front of me in that dress. . .my gosh, you're beautiful. I never really noticed how much until just now, the way the low lighting in here is hitting you. I mean, you've always been pretty and attractive for me, but now. . ."

Tish was unable to hide a blush, but she managed to contain it enough so that her cheeks only grew rosy instead of crimson. "Tino, I. . .I don't know what to say here. I'm just me."

"I wasn't asking for anything more. Anyway, the next slow dance is all ours, okay? I just need to get a little punch. Be right back." Tino moved over to the refreshment table, leaving a small trail of water behind him.

Tish, feeling confused, gave herself a once over before heading in Carver's direction. She found him leaning against a wall by one of the entrances, looking glum. "Hey, Carver?"

"Yeah?" Her friend replied, brightening up a little at the sight of the girl.

"Do I look any different to you? I mean, besides the hair and dress?" Tish asked.

"I don't know, nothing major, it seems. Why?"

"Because Tino's complimenting me an awful lot tonight. And that's not really like him. Sure, he'll tell me I look good sometimes, but a moment ago. . .he was looking at me like a snake looks at its dinner. It's not like him at all."

"Yeah, that makes sense. Tino never was the forward type. I wonder what brought on the change? Are you wearing any of that perfume with the hormones in it?"

"No! I'm not even wearing perfume at all! And usually I have to practically jump Tino to get him to make out with me. He's always worried about overstepping his bounds. Ordinarily, I find that kind of endearing, but for him to do a complete one-eighty like this. . ."

Just then, Tino came up, holding two cups out in front of him. "Here we are, a refreshing beverage for my two favorite people! My best friend and my best girl, oh yeah, nothing's ever going to take me away from you two. Tish, you look great. Carver, how come you're over here? Can't find the right girl to dance with? Hey, hey!" Tino started shouting out to anyone who could here. Both Carver and Tish stood, mouths agape and Tino's motor mouth. It was like someone had wound him up to the max. "Who wants to dance with my friend Carver! C'mon! He's hip, he's single, he can cut a rug, don't be shy ladies! C'mon, who wants to be first in line!"

Mortified, Carver and Tish ran forward to Tino's position, each grabbing one of his arms and dragging him back towards the wall. "What do you think you're doing!" Tish gasped. "Are you trying to embarrass me?"

"What about me?" Carver wailed. "I'm having a bad enough time tonight without your help, T. What the heck was that all about?"

"You guys are my friends, I was only trying to help!" Tino tried to explain himself.

"Yeah? Well the next time you want to help me, don't!" Carver felt exasperated.

"Tino, what's wrong honey? You're acting very peculiar tonight."

"Peculiar?" Tino cocked an eyebrow. "There's nothing peculiar about the way I'm acting!"

"Tino!" Tish immediately switched tactics, taking on a tone of authority.

"I'm just trying to be the best friend and significant other I can be! I've seen Lor out there, guys. She's positively crushed! I don't want to ever be the cause of one of you feeling like that. I want to be someone you can depend on."

"There now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Tish patted his head affectionately. "And I think that's very noble of you, Tino. But you're overdoing it."

"Totally." Carver agreed. "Save a guy a little dignity, will ya?" He punched Tino playfully in the arm.

"I guess I overdid it." Tino sighed.  

"Just be yourself." Tish smiled. "I never asked for anything more."

"Right." Tino smirked.

"And on that note, you owe me a dance." Tish added.

"Do you two even have a song?" Carver asked.

"No." Tish frowned. "Maybe we should get one."

"How about 'Suffused Elephant Quaff Winces Exasperating." Carver suggested.

"The song you 'wrote' for Chum Bukkit?" Tino rolled his eyes.

"Yeah! Nothing says love like it!"

"I was thinking maybe we should go with something instrumental." Tish countered. "I'm going to a dulcimer concert next week, I'm sure I can find a musical piece that will complement us perfectly."

"Oh yeah, that'll be something to tell your kids about." Carver shook his head in disbelief.

"I think we're okay just the way they are." Tino added. "But if you have a song in mind, Tish, it's okay."

"Let's just leave it as something to think about." Tish agreed.

She led Tino out to the dance floor as a new song began to play, a refreshing change of pace. She noted that Tino's moves had improved, but she still had to be the one to lead.

_It's only a paper moon   
Hanging over a cardboard sea   
But it wouldn't be make-believe   
If you believed in me_

_Now, it's only a canvas sky   
Hanging over a muslin tree   
But it wouldn't be make-believe   
If you believed in me_

"You're doing great, Tino." Tish smiled. She slid her arms further up onto his shoulders, and Tino lightly grasped her bare shoulders to steady himself.

"Tish, you're going to make me all self-conscious!" Tino worried.

"That's just part of the fun." She winked. Tino noted that despite her having a few inches on him, she still found a way to fit into his arms comfortably for a dance. With a pang of embarrassment, he wondered if that had anything to do with the fact that she was leading, and also how many others around him might notice. "Don't worry about what other people think, Tino." She whispered into his ear. "We've been together long enough to earn diplomatic immunity. We can do whatever we want." Tish emphasized her point by lightly blowing a warm breath into his ear, giggling in pleasure at the shiver it sent down Tino's spine.

"You're really playful, aren't you?" Tino couldn't help but notice.

"Part of it is because you're cold and wet. I'm trying to get some warmth back."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Tish sighed contentedly, running a hand through his damp, matted hair. "It really gives you that lost puppy dog look."

_Without your love   
It's a honky-tonk parade   
Without your love   
It's a melody played in a penny arcade   
  
It's a Barnum and Bailey world   
Just as phony as it can be   
But it wouldn't be make-believe   
If you believed in me_

"We should've done this sooner." Tino lamented.

"I don't think it's ever too late to get started, Tino." What Tino realized most in that moment was that Lor had been right a few weeks back when they had purchased their attire for the dance. Holding Tish like this, feeling her soft skin and her even softer hair, and clearly being encouraged to savor the moment, he felt totally lost in a sea of contentment. Slowly, Tino stopped concentrating on every little movement he made, allowing his body to move more smoothly. He surrendered to Tish's gentle leadership, moving about the dance floor wherever she led.  He couldn't resist the lure of her own long hair, running an index finger down small groups of strands, hooking it in a curl and tugging very gently. "You know," Tish whispered once again, "they say that the interaction between men and women isn't very logical. It's funny how when we hold on like this, logic doesn't seem to mean anything. All I know is that I don't want to let go."

_Without your love   
It's a honky-tonk parade   
Without your love   
It's a melody played in a penny arcade_

"I think I could handle you staying in my arms for the rest of the night. You're the practical one." Tino grinned.

"Me?"

"More practical than I am, anyway."

"Tino, I'm a perfectionist."

"I thought this was perfect, just being like this."

"Mmm, you're certainly saying all the right things. That's hardly fair. You know how susceptible I am to being romanced." She blushed.

"Well, at least there's someone I can manipulate. Maybe someday I'll be able to put one over on my mom."  Tish laughed at him. "Too much to hope for?"

"Much too much."

_It's a Barnum and Bailey world   
Just as phony as it can be   
But it wouldn't be make-believe   
If you believed in me   
No it wouldn't be make-believe   
If you believed in me_

"This wonderful, Tino, thank you." Tish beamed.

"Did you want to go for another round?" Tino offered.

Tish consented by squeezing a little tighter. It was several songs before they separated, and the turmoil that had invaded their lives earlier in the evening was almost forgotten.

Almost.

You know, I had originally planned to do more with this chapter, but I've decided to stop here. This means that a few events I had planned to include, most notably the "slap heard round the dance," have been delayed until the next outing. Still, I think that will definitely be worth seeing. It will be worth the wait, I think. I decided doing some more stuff with Lor this chapter just had to take priority, since I know how loved she is. And who wouldn't love Lor?

Hopefully this chapter came out okay, I was distracted in some parts. Still, I'm largely proud of how it turned out, and look forward to taking it home next time. The future of Third Stage is simultaneously exciting and frightening, but I'm confident that with your continued support, it will be a blast.

The good news is, a big chunk of the next chapter is already written, so you may even be lucky enough to see the next update a bit ahead of schedule. I'll make final decisions based on my ability and the level of demand.

Don't forget to tell the author how he is doing. This is what that submit review box is all about. You don't even have to log on, so don't be shy!

Please send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

06/12/04

12:30 AM, EST

E-mail: rangerwriteryahoo.com       

AIM: Asukaphile26


	11. Wicked Game

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Eleven

"Wicked Game"

Homecoming

"I didn't know you could dance this well." Tish smiled as the music finally came to an end.

"Actually, I can't." Tino admitted. "I'm pretty much used up on slow dances. I guess we could always do the Twist if you want to keep going."

"Ugh, I think I can feel wrinkles on my face just hearing you say that! I'm really going to have to broaden you for the ballroom." Tish smirked.

"That might not be such a bad idea. Think of our junior prom next year. I've got to do better for you." Tino admitted.

"And it's not unappealing to spend long hours together arm in arm. . .who am I kidding?" Tish giggled. "You know we're just going to end up making out!"

"Yeah, I'm nothing if not irresistible." Tino laughed.

"Now you're just fishing for compliments."

"There's just one problem." Tino sighed. "We're in here and Lor is outside."

"What was she like out there?" Tish asked. Tish shuffled her feet, unable to think of anything helpful to say after Tino related the account of Lor, who was still standing outside in the rain. "Oh, Lor. . ." she whispered as Tino finished. "Tino, we have to help her somehow."

"I know, I know." Tino groaned in frustration. "I'd like to, really, but like we agreed earlier right now I think it's best if we just let her be. I think she really does need to just be alone right now. She doesn't want us seeing her like this."

"So what should we do?"

"Well, I know it sounds a little cruel, but I think all we can really do in this situation is just try to enjoy are evening and agree to help Lor when she's ready. At least, that's what I thought we decided." Tino felt unsure. He slowly began to move in time to the new, slow song as the music picked up again.

"Right. . .okay, yeah, I guess that's what we should do. . ." Tish said hesitantly. Sighing, Tish causally took the lead of the dance to save Tino some embarrassment.

"Unless you don't want to. . ."

"No, it's not like that at all, Tino.  Forget it. Besides,, it would be a shame to let this dress go to waste." Tish whispered, slipping her arms around Tino's neck. "There's still a slow dance or two left, if you think you can manage." She brought her left hand back around to gently poke Tino's nose with her index finger.

"I'll manage! Even if I am out of fresh moves. . ." Tino smiled. "You're right, that dress does look great on you."

"So you keep saying." Tish smiled, leaning a head on Tino's shoulder. She let out a sound that was part hum and part purr, then whispered "Don't get used to it."

"I know." Tino slid his own arms around Tish's back, the feeling of smooth skin and silky hair both pleasurable and comforting. "But it's still great."

"Thanks." Tish blushed. "I'm just sorry this year's homecoming is happening under such lousy circumstances. Poor Lor, she must be devastated. As soon as we can, we have to help her!"

_The world was on fire and no one could save me but you  
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do  
I'd never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you  
I'd never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you_

_No I don't wanna fall in love (this girl is only gonna break your heart)  
No I don't wanna fall in love (this girl is only gonna break your heart)  
With you  
With you (this girl is only gonna break your heart)_

"Yeah, I'd say that would be an accurate assessment. I wasn't entirely certain before, but I think that she might actually be in love with Thompson."

"Or, she's built him up so much in her mind that this is what he's become."

"What, you mean like idealizing?" queried Tino.

"Exactly."

"I don't know. I guess that's possible, but it isn't something I can imagine doing. I mean, when you love someone, you just know it. It's not something you doubt."

"How so?"

"It's like how I love you, Tish. I just know it, deep down, and it feels so right, so…I guess it's not easy to explain, it just is." Tino sighed contentedly.

Tish took a step backwards. "Wait, what exactly are you saying?"

"With Lor?"

"No! With me. Did you. . .did you just say you love me?"

Tino blushed profusely. "Um, well, I guess so, yeah." Tish squeaked, her eyes screwing shut and her head shaking back and forth vigorously. "Tish? You okay?"

"No. . .no!" she choked. "You can't! It isn't. . ."

"It's okay, Tish. I'm totally fine with it. I talked this over with my mom, and she said at some point I have to let those feelings out. I guess it's something that's slowly grown over the years. It's weird how these things just sneak up on you. . ." Tino trailed off as he saw that Tish was weeping. "Tish? What's wrong?"

"Oh, Tino. . ." tears continued to fall down her cheeks. "I. . .I just can't. I can't!"

_What a wicked game you played, to make me feel this way  
What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you  
What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way  
What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you_

_And I don't wanna fall in love (this girl is only gonna break your heart)  
No I don't wanna fall in love (this girl is only gonna break your heart)  
With you_

"I'm. . .sorry." Tino reflexively apologized. "I didn't mean to upset you. I shouldn't have said something like that so suddenly. Ah, geez, how stupid can I be?"

"You're not stupid." Tish got out after taking a deep breath. "Tino, you're not in love with me."

"What?"

"Let me finish. You've never been with anyone else in your life but me. The only other woman you ever had any interest in besides me was Tasha, and that was a crush!" Tish slowly shook her head. "You haven't had the experience yet, nor have I. You might think you love me, but I can't accept that."

"What's so wrong about being in love with you? Did I say something wrong here? I always figured the day I came clean and said those words to you, it would be like some sort of celebration, and you'd cling to me the whole day."

"Things aren't always what you expect. Tino, it's not that I don't like you or anything. But I just can't accept it that you love me with our inexperience. I won't do that, to either of us. I care about you too much for that, as a friend above all else! We can't go this far. I won't let you limit yourself to only me, not when we're both so young."

"But, Tish. . ."

"That's the way it has to be, Tino. I'm sorry." She cried, now, but refused to sob. She had to be stronger than that, for his sake.

"So what am I supposed to do? Pretend I don't have these feelings? Tish, I know what I want, and I want to be with you. I can't fight against who I am, what I feel. I understand if you're not ready to say something like that, Tish. It's not like I'm saying we need to get married or anything! Please believe me!"

_The world was on fire and no one could save me but you  
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do  
I'd never dreamed that I'd love somebody like you  
I'd never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you_

"It's too soon in your life to fall in love with someone, Tino. Even me." Tish stared.

"I know what I feel is right." Pleaded Tino.

"Why?" Tish cried out, voice starting to give. Her tone lowered to a whisper. "I never asked you for this, never pushed you for more. Why can't you leave it be?" She raised her glasses with her left hand, wiping away tears. "Why?" She looked up at Tino, questioning.

"Because I felt you deserved to know." Tino said quietly.

_No I don't wanna fall in love (this girl is only gonna break your heart)  
No I don't wanna fall in love (this girl is only gonna break your heart)  
With you (this girl is only gonna break your heart)  
With you (this girl is only gonna break your heart)_

"That's not how it works."

"It's what I know inside." Tino felt frustration creeping into his voice.

"Don't do this to us!" Tish's voice hit a shrill peak, making it sound as though she were being assaulted and drawing the gaze of onlookers. "Don't do this to us." She begged in a whisper.

"What am I supposed to do?" Tino began to worry he would cry himself, he already felt the early warning symptoms coming on, eyes growing moist. "Take it back? We both know I can't do that."

"You have to."

"Tish, what is going on here? I had always thought this would be such a happy time for us! I don't know why you feel how you do about this, it just doesn't make any sense! Maybe you're not ready, or maybe you're just scared of what could happen if you accept what I said to you." Tino grew exasperated. "But how you can just stand there and think there's something bad about this, it makes no sense!"

"I'm trying to protect you, Tino!"

"And I appreciate that. But I don't need another mother, I've already got one of those! I need you to be my girlfriend!"

"What would you know about it!" Tish shouted, slapping Tino across his left cheek. Recoiling in horror and gasping at what she had just done, she gazed at her own left hand, feeling the sting from the impact. "Oh. . .Tino, I. . .I'm sorry, I."

_No I... (this girl is only gonna break your heart)  
(This girl is only gonna break your heart)_

Tino stiffened at that moment, realizing that the conversation was largely at an end. For whatever her reasons, Tish Katsufrakis was refusing to accept his feelings for her. "Fine, Tish. I guess that's how you feel. We have a problem here, it seems, but you're just going to have to work it out for yourself. I'm falling in love with you. That's how I feel. It's not something I can help, something I can stop doing or change, anymore than Lor can ignore what she feels for Thompson!" He yelled, pointing outside beyond the double doors that led outside to rain and Lor's last known location. He panted, out of breath and unable to keep up a show of anger towards someone he had come to care about so much. Tino's face fell. "Tish, don't do this to us."

Tish looked up at him with a pained expression. "Love is like ice cream, Tino. You can't just eat only one flavor and decide it's your favorite. You have to try a variety until you can be certain which one is best for you. And I will not allow you to limit yourself to only one flavor until you try the others." She then slowly turned her back to him, partly to drive her point home and partly so he wouldn't see her cry.

"Tish?"

"Go home, Tino. I'll be fine."

"But, Tish, I-"

"I said go home!"

And that, it seemed, was that. Feeling completely spent, Tino, made his way away from the center of attention without even bothering to salvage his dignity. Once her beau had disappeared into the dance crowd, Tish dropped to her knees and bawled her eyes out. Tino Tonitini walked off to a life of diminished expectations.

_Nobody loves no one. . ._

Crossing the dance floor, a very dazed and confused Tino was picking his way towards the exit, trying to figure out exactly what had just happened. Carver caught up to him as he neared the doors. "Hey, T. I've been lookin' all over for you! Man, that was brutal! What happened out there? Are you two gonna be okay?

It took Tino several seconds to process his friends' words, and even as he did, his response sounded automated. "I don't know."

"You wanna, you know, hang for a bit? Talk about. . .sports and. . .stuff?" Carver asked, trying to be there for his friend.

"I have to go. Something's come up. I'll. . .um, call me when you get home, okay Carv?"

"Uh, sure." Carver felt concern for his friend. "You okay?"

"I'll be fine."

"Do you want-?"

"I said to call me later!"

"I will, but T, I just wanna-"

"JUST DO IT!" Tino shouted, walking out the double doors and hearing them slam satisfyingly behind him. And as he looked ahead, Tino was startled to see a certain girl staring wide-eyed at him.

Her eyes were piercing. Wide as saucers, Tino felt as though Lor were dissecting him with her fierce gaze. Her hair was still matted over her head, giving her a trampled yet somehow powerful look. She was mesmerizing in her silence, as though daring Tino to say something. The rain had died down to a mist, creating a haunting backdrop to her from as she stared into his soul.

"You. . .ah, I mean. . .you're still. . .here?" Tino asked, feeling paralyzed.

"I don't have anywhere else to go." Lor responded, a solitary blink the only break in her stare.

"You've seen better days."

"I saw that look on your face when you came out here. You've looked better yourself. What happened to you?"

"I don't really know." Tino sighed. "Tish and I had a fight. Let's just say that things aren't too good between us right now. Hopefully she'll cool down and we can talk it over again."

"Ok." Lor responded. "That I get. So why are you out here with the Queen of the Losers?"

"I guess tonight I'm just another subject of the Kingdom. Man, and to think two weeks ago we were psyched about tonight. This sucks."

"They haven't even played any good songs since I came out here. Nothing my speed, anyway." Lor sighed. "I don't even know what I'm doing here. I should go."

"Don't go!" Tino said hurriedly. "You, ah. . .you're the only other person here I can relate to right now. We're both going through some rough relationship manners."

"Roadkill?" Lor suppressed a small smile.

"Totally. C'mon, let's dance."

"Dance?" Lor started laughing. "You and me? Tino, if you're trying to cheer me up with a good joke, you're succeeding."

"Hey, I'm totally serious. Besides, unless I miss my guess, they just started playing our song."

"You mean '_How Can I Miss You If You Won't Go Away_?' Yeah, that's a classic."

"No!" Frustrated, Tino crossed the distance to Lor, taking hold of her hand and pulling her up to his level. "Come on, like this." He put one arm on her right shoulder and slowly guided her through a few steps.

_Here's to those who love not too wisely, know not wisely, but too well  
To the girl who sighs with envy when she hears that wedding bell  
To the guy who'd throw a party if he knew someone to call  
Here's to the losers, bless them all  
  
Here's to those who drink their dinners when that lady doesn't show  
To the girl who'll wait for kisses underneath that mistletoe  
To the lonely summer lovers when the leaves begin to fall  
Here's to the losers, bless them all_

_Hey, Tom, Dick and Harry, come in out of the rain  
Those torches you carry must be drowned in champagne  
  
Here's the last toast of the evening, here's to those who still believe  
All the losers will be winners, all the givers shall receive  
Here's to trouble-free tomorrows, may your sorrows all be small  
Here's to the losers, bless them all_

"I didn't know you could dance like this." Lor seemed somewhat shocked at how Tino was moving in such a, well, un-Tinoish way."

"Funny, I was about to say the same about you." Tino responded.

"Don't spread it around. This really isn't my strong suit." Lor tried to regain a little of her tough composure.

"We can stop if you want." Tino gave her an out.

"No way! I like dancing with you. I mean, you know, or maybe not, but. . ." Lor sighed. "This is kinda nice. Although next time we do this, I get to pick the pace."

"Deal."

_Hey, Tom, Dick and Harry, come in out of that rain  
Those torches you carry must be drowned in champagne  
  
Here's the last toast of the evening, here's to those who still believe  
All the losers will be winners, all the givers shall receive  
Here's to trouble-free tomorrows, may your sorrows all be small  
Here's to the losers, here's to the losers, here's to the losers  
Bless them all!_

Throughout the dance, Tino couldn't help but feel a little weird. Dancing with Lor was comfortable and agreeable, yet at the same time, it was nothing like holding Tish. It wasn't worse, or unenjoyable, just different. She fit into his arms in a completely different way. And there was the matter of guilt. Even though Lor was just his friend, here he was, dancing with another woman after just telling Tish he loved her.

"Do you still miss Thompson?" Tino asked, still feeling concerned for Lor.

"More than I could ever explain. But I do feel a little bit better about it all now. Thanks for, you know, being here for me and stuff."

"That's what friends are for, right?"

"Yeah. What friends are for." Lor said distantly.

"I got an idea." Tino said. "This dance has been nothing but pain. What do you say we get out of here and grab a little pizza. Nothing like a little comfort food after a rotten night."

"But I look like hell!" Lor pointed out.

"Eh, maybe they'll take pity on us and give us a discount. Besides, no one's gonna see you. The whole school is here tonight. C'mon, you know you want some."

"Ah, you talked me into it. But if I end up regretting this, I know where you live!" Lor reminded him.

"I'll keep that in mind." Tino smiled. The way Lor returned it gave him hope inside. They walked off the school ground into the damp night air, each feeling a little wiser and grateful for the ever present bond of their friendship.

This chapter was so not easy to write. It was difficult to get done for reasons of time, and on top of that, I felt I did something very painful with the two most prominent characters in this story. Still, I have my reasons, and even though it hurt me a lot, I did what I thought was best for them. I'm sure those still reading this story are divided between joy and sorrow. Many readers I'm sure are happy I finally broke up Tino and Tish, but at least I know a few of you out there think they were good together. Not being alone helps me feel good.

Mercifully, this story still seems to have a following, even after all this time. I'm eternally grateful for those who have been with it from the beginning. Some people are still discovering this long story for the first time. It's always uplifting to hear new people come in, but I won't ever forget the ones who have been with my since the story's infancy.  Without the support of the fans, both new and classic, none of this would be possible. Give yourselves a pat on the back.

Who knows where we're going from here? Third Stage is far from over, and I hope I've shaken things up enough to keep everyone's interest. This leg of the Awakening story my be a long one, so please bear with me!

Expect the next update at the usual time. Due to a recent shift in my schedule at work, I have a much more normal life, but much less time available for writing. Be assured that I will do everything in my power to keep updates to Awakening on schedule and at the same level of quality you have come to respect.

See you in 3 weeks!

Lord Malachite

Revised 7/4/04

1:46AM, EST

E-mail: rangerwriteryahoo.com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	12. Picking Up The Pieces

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Twelve

"Picking Up The Pieces"

Saturday (After Homecoming)

Tish no longer cared about the condition of her dress when she arrived home. She entered her front door without a word, barely responding to her father when he welcomed her home. Her father instantly new she was upset, which prompted a round of questions from both her parents, none of which she answered. "Just leave me alone, please!" She cried, trying to make her way to the sanctuary of her room.

"Tishy, you must be calming down!" Her mother admonished. "I will fix you a nice warm glass of goat milk. This will make everything better, you see."

"I don't want the goat milk!" She hollered. "I want my privacy!" She forced her way past them into her room, locking the door behind her. She tore her rain-soaked dress off as quickly as possible, not caring whether she ripped it in the process. It would just be one more reminder of how painful this evening had been. After extricating herself from the outfit, she glanced at herself in the mirror. She looked every bit as bad as she felt, an absolute mess. There was a sorrow she felt deep inside, more than could be explained by the mere ending of a relationship. There was a part of her that felt as though she'd lost something precious, and she ached inside. Suddenly angry with herself, she ripped off every last stitch of clothing that remained on her, throwing them in several directions, as though she could somehow rid herself of her emotions with her garments. She threw one of her dresser drawers open and yanked a white slip out, shoving it over her head and forcing it on.

Falling backwards onto her bed, she looked longingly at her phone. She needed to talk to someone, but whom? She couldn't speak about this with her friends, and her parents were definitely out. Tish was left with the awkward realization that she didn't have anyone else to turn to. There was nothing for her but the dull ache in her stomach that made her feel like she was going to throw up. Finally, she seized her phone and held it up to her ear. She could hear the low hum of the dial tone as it played in her ear, heightening her senses. Blindly, she dialed the one number she could've called even in her sleep. Tish heard the phone ring four times, and she was grateful when the answering machine picked up, allowing her to say her peace without fuss. "Tino, it's me. I'm………."She allowed the silence to draw on for several seconds before figuring out what she was trying to say. "I'm sorry," she began, a new round of tears coming even as she had thought she was out of them to cry. "I'm so, so sorry. I only wish. . ." But she didn't know what she wished, and so the machine recorded nothing more than her tears and pathetic sobs before signaling that it had hit the end of its buffer and disconnecting the call.

Tish remained sprawled on her bed, trying to come to grips with her own stupidity as the phone advised her to hang up and dial again, then began beeping angrily at her. She turned the phone off absently, then opened a new line and called a number she hadn't ever really expected to use.

"Hello?" She heard a voice pick up after two rings.

"Hel. . .hello." Tish managed weekly. "Is that you, Dixon?"

"Yes, and who might this be?"

"It's. . .Tish." She sniffled in response.

"Tish? Hey, nice to hear from you. How are you?"

"I'm not good, Dixon."

"Hush now." Dixon tried his best to be soothing. "Take a deep breath and explain it to me, all right? I don't have anywhere else to be tonight." In truth, he was supposed to be meeting a certain special lady, but under the circumstances, he didn't think Miss Tonitini would mind if he turned up late.

Over the next several hours, Tish would learn that she was not as different from other girls her age as she had originally expected.

The damp walk home from the Homecoming Dance was somewhat relaxing to both Tino and Lor. While both hadn't had agreeable evening in the slightest, at least they could find comfort in one another's misery.

"Ouch." Lor winced in pain as Tino related the story of what passed between himself and Tish that evening. "I guess I'm not the only one who did a belly flop into the pool of love tonight."

"An empty pool is more like it." Tino groaned. I really can't imagine how it could've gone any worse."

"Well, she could have-"

"I'm pretty broken up about it as it is, Lor." Tino interrupted her.

"All right, no jokes. So are you guys gonna work this thing out? I mean, it can't be as hopeless as me and Thompson, right?"

"I dunno." Tino sighed. "Thompson moved to New York, but you know he cares about you. Tish just outright rejected my feelings."

"Ugh, good point. But you know Tish, she can be really sensitive about stuff. Maybe if you just give her a little time, she'll calm down and you can talk it out. You guys have been together way too long to hit a wall this hard. I mean, you're one of the longest running couples in our class. If you guys break up, it could end up starting some kind of chain reaction that'll turn the whole sophomore ranks into chaos! Actually, that sounds kind of fun. . .um, no offense to your situation."

"None taken."

"You seem to be coping with this whole Thompson thing a lot better, Lor."

"It's not so much coping as it is forcing myself not to think about it right now, but yeah. I guess it's like. . .I knew this was coming, and the reality of how much I might have cheated myself out of these past few years. . .I just want to scream really loud!

"Go ahead." Tino grinned. "We're in the middle of town. There's nothing around here but closed storefronts."

"I HATE MY LIFE!" Lor shouted at the top of her lungs, half-giggling. "Whoa, that felt pretty good.

"I know how you feel." Tino returned Lor's smile. "I hate your life too."

"Thanks Tino. I know I can always count on you."

"Just trying to be supportive. Hey, Lor?"

"Yeah?"

"Back at the school there, outside, when we were dancing?"

"Right."

"You really did look beautiful."

Lor stopped walking, looking confused for a moment. "Are you blind?" She laughed out loud. "Tino, I'm a mess. I'm totally soaked, my dress is clinging and getting a little too friendly with me, my hair is a disaster-"

"And you still look great! I know you got a raw deal tonight, but don't give up, okay? You've got plenty to offer. As soon as you feel ready, you need to put yourself up on the market. Trust me, you'll find plenty of takers."

"You may be right." Lor pondered this as she resumed walking, Tino falling in step beside her. "But it won't be the same as with Thompson."

"I think maybe that's the whole point. I mean, if falling in love was always the same type of thing no matter who it was with, wouldn't that make the whole relationship thing kind of pointless? If anyone could make you feel the same way, it's meaningless."

"You've had a long time to think about this, haven't you?" Lor asked.

"Hey, I've been dating the same girl for three years. Trust me, I've laid awake some nights questioning the wisdom of that."

"And?" Lor waited impatiently.

"I guess in the end, you just have to go with what feels right to you."

"Well, that's a big help." Lor rolled her eyes.

"Hey, it's totally true! That policy has gotten me through a lot."

"Including your Mom's cooking?"

"Let's not go changing the subject! You know what I'm talking about."

"Yeah. And to be honest, I'm probably going to be okay once I manage to suck this up and move on."

"Nobody's that well adjusted." Tino chided.

"I know I'm not!" Lor admitted. "But on the plus side, I don't feel so hopeless anymore."

"No."

"Nah.  I just feel like I'm gonna be sick every few minutes."

"I know what you mean. Boiled fish bladders make me feel the same way."

"I don't even want to know." Lor shook her head. "Man, you're doing it again, you're making me laugh!"

"We gotta make the best of a bad situation."

"Take some of your own advice, Tino. You know you don't like being on the outs with Tish."

"We've never fought over something like this before." Tino explained, his eyes taking on a far-off look as he thought of the girl he loved. "We've had arguments, sure. Sometimes pretty big ones. But they were usually over something stupid, or we'd just get over it because we realized we enjoyed each other's company more than whatever our fight was about. But I think this is different. We really did smash into something hard tonight." Tino threw himself onto a nearby bench, suddenly feeling the need to sit down. "Before this happened, it's like I knew inside that we'd always be together. Maybe everything wouldn't always be bliss, but I thought we could work through anything. I guess that was pretty naïve of me."

"Maybe a little." Lor said quietly. "But it was romantic, and you know Tish loves that kind of thing."

"For all the good it does me now." Tino snorted.

"Wow. Dude, you're really scared of losing her, aren't you?" Lor's expression immediately switched to one of concern. "Hey, don't talk like that. Just give her some time."

"It's more than that. I mean, of course I'm scared of losing her. But I'm even more scared of what will become of me if I do. I mean, Tish is all I've really known in this department. I'm attached to her, Lor! If she leaves me. . ."

"You'll still have me and Carver." Lor tried to reassure him. "Come on Tino, don't break down on me. It's gonna be okay. You know Tish cares about you, she's not gonna do you wrong like that."

Tino looked towards Lor looking for some kind of validation in her face. She nodded her head slowly and gave him her best smile. "You promise?" Tino asked, still feeling the sudden vulnerability that had washed over him.

"Sure, I promise." Lor replied, not feeling quite as confident as she was trying to sound.

Tino choked back a sniffle and tried to regain his composure. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get like this until I was alone. I know you have your own problems tonight."

"I can wait till I get home before I start with the self-pity thing." Lor smirked, trying to act lighter than she was feeling. "So anyway, thanks for coming after me."

"I couldn't stand to see you looking like that. Not after what had just happened to me. I was afraid I would start looking the same. I figured maybe I could help us both out."

"Yeah, I'll bet that's what you say to all the girls."

"If I knew what women wanted to hear, I'd be one of those popular guys."

"That's okay. I'd take the Tino I know over some popular dork anytime."

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment and not think too hard on it!" Tino smiled.

As the dance came to an end and students started walking home or meeting their rides, Carver stepped outside into the dampness of the night. Thankfully, the wind had stopped, but puddles were still lying around in abundance, just waiting to assault any shoe that might step in them, hopefully causing some collateral damage to other articles of clothing through splashes. Carver looked around for his friends, but it seemed like all hope was lost. Tino had taken off for home over an hour ago over some argument he and Tish got into. Lor was gone from her last known position, Carver wondered if she had finally gone home to avoid having to face the other members of her class. And Tish was nowhere to be seen, she had disappeared very shortly after Tino made his exit. "And here's little Carver all alone." He muttered to no one in particular. Man, some party this turned out to be. I didn't even meet anyone. Another cool outfit gone to waste, can't wear this thing again." He sighed. Man, I can't believe none of them waited for me. At least Tish could've stayed! This calls for drastic action. He checked his watch, 11:15, verifying that he still had 45 minutes to get to the pizza place before they closed. Time for some maximum midnight snackage he grinned eagerly, bounding down the street at a very brisk walk.

Until he heard from his friends, there was little he could do to help, but Carver knew that the next few weeks were probably going to be missile. Three quarters of their group were suffering a meltdown over romantic entanglements. It appeared Lor's original concerns might finally prove true, if Tino and Tish didn't make up, it might fracture their group dynamic irreparably. That, Carver decided, was a very sobering thought. Maybe there was something he could do after all, he decided, wracking his brain for any good ideas. Bad enough Lor was feeling miserable, but the whole Tino and Tish situation had the potential to become a hull breach on all decks. Whispers had already begun spreading around the dance as Tino and Tish's argument had not been very private. Carver had heard Percy and Ruby refer to Tish's emotional outburst as "the slap heard round the gym," and indeed it had been a powerful moment. Tish was never thought of as a violent person.  She could be a tad excitable at times, perhaps, but not violent. And of all the people in the world for her to get physical with, Tino should have been at the bottom of the list, right between fuzzy puppies and Nono. Tino must have done something terrible to make her do such a thing. Not that he'd have any chance to drag the relevant information  out of his friend for at least a day or two. None of it made any sense. Carver resolved that he had to find himself a steady girlfriend, so that he could be as confused as everyone else. At least then he'd have a better idea what was going on.

"Maybe it's not so bad after all." Carver hoped. "I just need to get more information. I'll bet I can fix up Tino and Tish. Then all I have to do is help Lor with her problem and I'll have single-handedly saved our group's friendship. How hard can it be?" An inner voice told him that his craving for some quality pizza was deluding his mind, but Carver quickly stifled it. Any ideas thought up on an empty stomach had to be winners, right?

"I'm a monster." Tish reiterated to Dixon again. "Dixon, I've lost my best friend, my closest confidante! I totally rejected him! He trusted me with his heart, and I betrayed it, surely as if I had cheated on him. No, better that I had, that at least might've saved him some heartache, given him some explanation why I rejected him so coldly!"

"Well, you know Tish, it's not too late to take it back." Dixon calmly explained. "Tell Tino that you just panicked, but you're okay now."

"I can't take it back!" Tish howled in misery. "I can't take it back because it's for his own good! I don't want him to love me because it's convenient. I want him to love me for who I am, not because we just happened to be good friends first. I never want Tino to feel like he might've missed out on something better."

"You know, you might be too mature for your own good." Dixon cocked any eyebrow.

"I won't pretend it hasn't gotten me into trouble more than once." Tish groaned.

"I hear you also tend to exhibit a lot of very motherly characteristics."

"Yes, that's how I feel towards all my friends. I'm protective. Maybe I'm overprotective, I've lost the ability to tell the difference. I go overboard. Just like you've seen Tino get obsessed over things, right."

"Keep going." Dixon made sure Tish could hear the smile in his voice.

"Turning Tino down tonight, that was the hardest thing I can remember doing in my life. I felt like a schoolgirl! I. . .I am a schoolgirl. All I wanted to do was tell him I felt the same way and that I wanted to be with him forever. But how fair would that be of either of us? It's easy to say you love someone when they're all you know. Romantically, Tino and I are chained up in Plato's cave. I wanted him to have a chance to see the outside world in all its glory before deciding he's in love with a shadow."

"So you do love him after all." Dixon politely kept Tish centered on the reality of her situation, not allowing her to sidestep the issue.

"Yes." She said in a voice that sounded almost like a whisper. Tish flipped onto her stomach, her legs bending into the air behind her. Her toes curled, longing for something to hook onto. "The time I've spent with that boy was better than I ever expected. I really have a soft spot for Tino."

"Love can do that to you."

"I almost let him see me in this slip last month." Tish said dreamily, not feeling as embarrassed by that comment as she knew she should. She shook her head to clear out the daydreams. "But I'm no different than he is. And I won't make a commitment without knowing this is what I want. Not something this serious. I never want Tino to feel like he missed out on anything in life because of me."

"Well, that's certainly an uncomfortable situation you've gotten into. And how do you expect all this to affect Carver and Lor?"

"I'm expecting that there's going to be some damage to our group. There's no escaping that. But I'm not upset with anyone, not even Tino. I want us to all be together, but I know that's not the way things will happen. But if you talk to Tino at all, please tell him I don't hate him. He's still important to me, Dixon."

"I'll talk to him and his mom for you, try and make him understand the way you feel about all this. Will you be coming out at all to talk to him?" Dixon inquired.

"I could, but I'm afraid I'll excite him. I don't want him to get upset when he sees me, I want him to know that I care about him.

"I think that's a large part of what this is all about." Dixon agreed. "All right, Tish, we'll play it your way. I just hope this all works out for the best."

"So do I." Tish readily agreed. "Oh, one more thing."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for listening to me tonight. I'm sure you had a lot of better things to do. That means a lot to me. You're a good guy, Dixon."

"I've never been able to resist a damsel in distress," Dixon laughed. He noted carefully that Tish giggled a bit, the first sound of mirth having been heard in her room for hours. Hopefully it was here to stay.

"Well, I guess this is my stop." Lor declared as she and Tino turned into her driveway. "You didn't have to walk me all the way home, though." Lor rolled her eyes.

"Probably not." Tino admitted. "But are you going to stand there and tell me you didn't want the company?"

"No." Lor sighed in defeat. "I'm glad you were with me, Tino, really I am. I know you've got your own romantic problems right now."

"Yeah, I didn't really wanna be alone either. Well, I did, it's just. . ."

"Misery loves company?" Lor smirked.

"That about covers it. So tell me, any idea what you're gonna do about the whole Thompson thing?"

"Well, I guess I know deep down I should try and forget him, so I'm probably going to do the opposite. I've never been one to take good advice. Are you gonna make up with Tish?"

"I. . .don't know. I want to, but I don't think it's gonna be that easy to do. She was pretty adamant about this whole thing."

"She'll get over it. It's Tish. She usually does."

"You're probably right." Tino agreed.

"When I'm feeling a little more like myself, I'll give you a call. Maybe a little pool will make me feel right again, get out the old frustration. And of course, there's always my brothers." She laughed.

"Sounds like a typical day at your house." Tino nodded.

"Wait a day or two, I'll invite you over for some breakfast. Unless you'd rather eat whatever it is your mom makes you eat."

"Oh no, I'll be all over it. Half the time I have to fight what my mom puts on the table anyway, so competing with your brothers will just be like practice."

"It's a plan then." She smiled under the porch light, still looking a mess yet strikingly beautiful. Even in its shabby, rain soaked state, just the fact that Lor was in something so feminine made her stand out. She placed her right hand on the doorknob, turning it halfway, then stopped. "Hey, Tino?"

"Yeah?"

"You came out there for me tonight, earlier. I told you off."

"Yeah."

"Why was it so important for you to talk to me?"

"Because I'm your friend. And friends are supposed to help each other, not shut each other out when we need them the most." Tino winced as he remembered how he had been rather short with Carver about his own problems earlier that same evening.

"You really are hopeless." She turned around and kissed him briefly on the cheek, a few cold drops of rainwater finding their way onto Tino's forehead burned the sensation into his mind.  Lor blushed at her own action, wringing her hands in awkward embarrassment.

"What was that for?" Tino asked, also feeling a bit awkward about what had just happened.

"Every girl needs a prince, Tino. Even those of us who are too stubborn to admit it. I think tonight you were mine. Even if I wasn't a very good princess."

"Don't worry about it." Tino smiled. "It happens to the best of us. Me, I make a terrible princess."

Lor couldn't resist laughing at that line. "Goodnight, Tino." Lor returned his smile, then ruffled his hair. "I'll give you a call about breakfast when I'm up to it."

"You know my number!"

"Speed dial, number three!" Lor opened her door and stepped inside. "Seeya!"

"G'night, Lor!" As the MacQuarrie's front door closed on Lor's retreating figure, Tino noticed that the smile was still on his face. In fact, it remained there his entire walk home.

And here we have the end of the file. This is the Author's Notes section. Of course, since FFN decides to squash everything I write into one continuous file, some of the scene changes in these chapters can be disconcerting for my readers out there. I apologize for this. I wish I could say I had some remedy, but I have to work with what I have. For anyone who prefers, I can e-mail you a properly formatted chapter, just e-mail me with your requests. All of "Awakening" is written in standard Word 2003 files, chapter by chapter. See my contact info below for information on how to get these, if interested.

I want to thank everyone for being patient about having to wait a few extra days for this release. I've been very busy lately with all sorts of things, and also preparing for Otakon this upcoming weekend. Fortunately, this managed to get released before I go on my little vacation, so I won't have the guilt hanging over my head the entire time I'm in Baltimore.

I'll be honest, reviews were very slow and near non-existent for the last chapter when I first published it. I was rather surprised, considering the big breakup of Tino and Tish, I thought I would've gotten a bigger response, both joyful and forlorn. Fortunately, the reviews started picking up, and now I have a much better idea how my fans are feeling about not just what's going on with Tino and Tish, but on my epic story as a whole. Many of you are too kind, and it genuinely warms my heart to see you so moved. That's a large part of what this story is about, to make you, the reader, feel something. Even if you don't enjoy it, I want "Awakening" to invoke some kind of emotional response in you! Thanks for making it all worthwhile. Remember to keep telling me how I'm doing, as a review is my primary way of knowing whether I'm pleasing the public or letting you all down. Stroking the author's ego also makes him more productive, for those of you out there who feel that you can't get enough.

Anyway, the old man better stop with his ramblings or this file will never be finished. If anyone out there is going to Otakon, be sure to look for me. I should be wearing a white shirt featuring Asuka from Neon Genesis Evangelion on Friday. Saturday, I expect to have a black T-shirt with a white flyer taped to my back. (You'll know why if you see me). Panels I intend to make every effort to attend are the Fanfiction Panel and the Evangelion Panel. Feel free to tell me I need to update more!

Until next time,

Lord Malachite

7/28/04

2:33 AM, EST

E-mail: 

AIM: Asukaphile26


	13. The Morning After

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Thirteen

"The Morning After"

Sunday

Some would say that Lor Macquarrie stepped outside late that evening. Others would say it was early the next morning. To Lor, it was a moot point—she never had really gone to bed anyway. After returning home from a night of losing her boyfriend, coming perilously close to kissing one of her best friends in a meaningful way, and enduring a jumbo sized dogpile from her brothers, sleep just wasn't something her mind could manage.

She had clawed her way up to her room, stripped out of the dress and into a night outfit, and curled up in her bed seeking solace, but most of the night she had just tossed and turned, her eyes open wide as saucers, trying to figure out what exactly she was supposed to do next. Somewhere around 4 AM, she had climbed out of bed and crept down to the kitchen, where she made herself a sandwich that that Dagwood fellow from the funny pages would've been proud of. After polishing it off along with half a bag of potato chips, she had raided the freezer and spooned mouthfuls of Death By Chocolate up until she felt she was going to be sick. She then spent an hour watching TV and massaging her stomach until it resumed normal operation; idly contemplating if this sensation felt anything like pregnancy. The fact that the very thought of being pregnant didn't frighten her was nearly twice as terrifying. Would it really be so awful? She'd had some bad experiences with little ones in the past, but it couldn't always be bad, or why would anyone want to have children in this day and age, what with contraceptives a household name?

Sitting with the palms of her hands lightly held to her bared stomach, Lor closed her eyes and conjured up the image of an infant version of Thompson. It brought a small smile to her face, imagining the three of them together—man, woman, and child. Maybe she wouldn't make such a bad mother after all. Lor refused to linger on the image for too long. Thompson was gone now, and it was time to put away the childish fantasies and be realistic. She changed her tactic this time, and soon an image of a toddler Tino found its way into her mind's eye. Nothing terribly unexpected, he was the last guy to show her kindness. The picture of a family with Tino wasn't bad at all. In fact, Lor rather found herself enjoying it, until their imagined family outing to the circus resulted in both Tino and their child curling into the fetal position and whimpering when the clown troupe appeared. As she let the image dissipate, she was grateful for the slight chuckle it produced, her first good laugh in what seemed like far too long.

With the first rays of sunlight beginning to appear at the horizon, Lor decided to do something productive. She slipped back upstairs, grabbing her dress and a key ring off the dresser in her parents' room, wondering how much trouble she would be in when they woke up. "You only live once." She muttered to herself, jumping down the steps and out to the garage.

Carver sat down to an early Saturday breakfast with his parents, explaining what had happened with his friends at the dance last night. His parents seemed particularly interested in what happened with both Lor and Tino. Penny laughed several times until a stern look from her father kept her quiet. Todd was most interested in getting his hands on the sugar bowl; apparently reaching kindergarten age still hadn't cured him of his addiction.

"Well son, what do you think is going on between your friends?" Carver's father asked him after the whole tale had been explained.

"I just don't get it." Carver sighed. "I mean, we all knew Lor and Thompson's days were numbered, but this whole Tino and Tish thing. . .man, it feels like they've always been together! Not a month ago I remember we all went to see a Star Pilots movie. I turned grab a box of Jujyfruits that fell on the floor, and I catch Tish making goo-goo eyes at Tino. They'd been going out for three years, and she had this look on her face like he'd been out of town for the whole summer or something! The idea of them breaking up just doesn't compute."

"You can't think of anything that would split them up?" His mother pressed.

"Not really. I know Tino wasn't looking for anyone else. And trying to picture Tish cheating on him. . .I just don't think she's the type. I guess it's possible, but I'd find it pretty hard to believe. Man, none of this makes sense."

"Let me see if I got this straight." Penny interjected. "Two of your best friends just broke up for no apparent reason, and the other one's all upset because her boyfriend moved away?"

"Yeah. So what's your point?"

"Nothin'. I was just hopin' somethin' juicy was in there I could use against you later."

Carver ignored her. "Hey dad, you know the world. Tell me, is this just some kinda white people thing?" The table grew silent for a moment, then everyone started laughing at once. "Ok, ok, just checking. So what's your advice."

"Help them if you can, son." His father explained.

"But don't push it if they keep rejecting you." Mrs. Descartes added. They might have to deal with this in their own time on their own terms."

"Thanks. I'm gonna go shower and then give Tino a call."

"Good luck sweetie" His mother called as Carver proceeded down the hallway to the bathroom.

"Thanks." Carver muttered under his breath. "I'm certainly gonna need it."

-

-

-

Tish awoke from a fitful sleep to the sound of a hand beating against her door, her mother's unsubtle way of telling her that she had better be coming out. Grumbling to herself, she sat up and fumbled about her nightstand, looking for her glasses. Finding her sight on the fourth tap, she swung her arm back and placed them on her face. As her world came into focus, Tish forced herself out of bed, searching for something to put on.

"Tishy! Is time you are coming out!" Her mother called forcefully from the other side of the door.

"In a minute!" Tish responded huffily. "I have to find some clothes first!" She walked with heavy steps to emphasize that she had gotten up. She threw her closet open, rifling past a few hangers until finding the deep purple bathrobe she was searching for. Tish stepped into it and tied the sash around her waist, then slipped her feet into a matching pair of slippers. Letting loose a most unladylike yawn, she opened her door and was greeted by the face of her frowning mother.

"So, you are coming out at last. Do you plan to be explaining your bee hive oar?"

"Bee hive? Oh, behavior."

"Yes, is what I'm saying!"

"Can't a girl even get breakfast before she tells her family what a monster she is?" Tish walked past her mother, earning a penetrating frown in her back. Tish knew she was being insolent, but she felt entirely too drained and numb to care if her mother got upset with her at the moment.

Tish thumped her way into the kitchen, stopping at the refrigerator to pour herself a glass of orange juice and pulling out a loaf of bread, intending to make herself some toast. Her father waved politely, wishing her a good morning. She was certain her parents had laid some kind of trap for her, but she was refusing to talk until she had a little comfort food in front of her. Dropping two slices into the toaster, she prepared a plate and some butter, then set to boiling some water for tea. She instinctively reached for the canister containing Prince of Wales, then her hand recoiled as the thought brought memories she couldn't bring herself to deal with at the moment. She thumbed past, finally settling on Lady Grey.

Her father suddenly asked if she would enjoy a plate of eggs, and to Tish's somewhat surprise, her stomach rumbled eagerly at the idea. She brought her glass of juice over to the kitchen table and smiled slightly as she saw a plate with eggs and homefries was waiting for her. Somehow, her father had known. Perhaps that was his job after all.

Tish forked some of her eggs and brought it to her mouth. It tasted even better than it smelled. She had been longing for something to eat most of the night, but she had been too defiant to get out of bed. "Thank you daddy." She smiled, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She was behaving like a spoiled brat this morning, when all her parents wanted to do was understand what was wrong with their little girl.

"Now you are feeling better, yes?" He asked.

Tish nodded at him. "A little. I guess you want to know why I was in such a foul mood last night."

"When you are ready to be talking, Tishy."

"I just. . .Poppa, how do you know if. . ."

"Yes?"

"Last night I. . .I broke up with Tino?"

"Broke up? I don't understand. Whenever I am seeing you, you are always looking so happy together! Is something matter? He didn't try to be taking advantage of--"

"Oh poppa, Tino couldn't take advantage of me if I threw myself at him. You know he's not like that."

Tish's father sighed. "Yes, yes, you are right. I know he is good friend, good man. Okay, so helping your poor father to understand. Someone else?"

"No, nothing like that." Tish took several more bites of her breakfast before she could continue. "Tino. . .he told me. . .Tino said he loves me, poppa."

"Really?"

Tish nodded, sniffing lightly.

"And what were you telling him in return?" Her father asked.

"Nothing good. Probably all the wrong things. But I did what I felt I had to! How was I supposed to accept that?! I'm all he's ever known, he can't go around deciding he loves me after never being with anyone else. It's not right!"

"Neverminding that." Her father spoke softly. "To be saying what Tino has been saying, great courage he must have. I have seen the way he looks at you when he feels no one else is watching, Pedratishkovna. You are most special to him."

"I know!" She pressed her hands to her head, shaking sadly. "And I care about him too! That's why I let him go. I never want him to feel he passed something up because of me! I couldn't bare the thought of him ever resenting me. I just want. . .I have to remember that I was his friend before anything else. I can't lose sight of that! And as his friend, I have to help him see what's best for him, even if it hurts us."

"Perhaps this is true, but are you ever stopping to consider what love really is? Is not something you can be holding in your hand, is a state of mind, way of being."

"You think I'm making a mistake, don't you poppa." Tish sounded defeated.

"I am thinking that you must be doing what is right in here." Her father smiled, very lightly poking her chest. "Not so much with what is here." He repeated the pointing gesture to her temple. "If you are not having special feelings in your heart, then perhaps this is good choice. But don't be throwing away your happiness because of way you think something has to be. Is like. . .what you are knowing; and what you are knowing. Yes?"

"Dichotomy." Tish filled in for her father. "The mind/heart dichotomy."

"Yes, yes! Now you getting it!"

"I'll. . .give it some thought. Right now, I think I just need to clear my head. Thank you."

Mr. Katsufrakis smiled at his daughter as she quietly finished her breakfast and returned to her room, hoping he had been able to do something to ease his little girl's mind.

-

-

-

Lor brought the hose full blast over her parent's car, cleaning of the coating of soap before beginning the next application. It had been far too long since the car had had a good wash. She found herself moving to the music playing on the boombox she had brought out of the garage, hoping that Jan The Man would eventually play some Chum Bukkit. She dropped a long piece of red fabric into a bucked full of soapy water, then began applying it to the car. The combination of spraying water and loud music finally attracted the attention of her parents, and her father opened the bedroom window, not sounding very pleased.

"Lor, what the heck are you doin' out there at this hour?"

"Um, washing your car?" Lor responded.

"Washing my car? How'd you get it into the driveway?"

"With your keys." She said flatly, not looking up from her work.

"I see. So you're saying my fifteen year old daughter who doesn't even have her Learner's Permit yet borrowed my car keys without my permission."

"Pretty much. It's no big deal, dad. It's not like I went anywhere or anything." Lor had considered the idea when she first started the car up and heard the hypnotic hum of the engine, felt the sudden power she had available at the tips of her fingers and toes. But after entertaining the notion, she quickly rejected it. Forgetting all the trouble she would get in, she knew she would also get pulled over within minutes. She'd look exactly like what she would have been—an underage driver who had stolen her parents car and didn't have more than thirty dollars to her name. "Look, Dad, I know it was wrong, but I really needed something to take my mind of last night, okay."

"Sugar, you can't just go around. . .hey, isn't that the dress you were wearing last night?"

"It was." She chuckled to herself. "Turns out the sleeves make pretty decent sponges. I'm hoping the rest of it makes a good chamois."

Mr. MacQuarrie furrowed his brow in frustration as he drew his head back inside the window, muttering something about his wife's side of the family, he eased into his bathrobe and started down the stairs.

"Was it something I said?" Lor wondered as she resumed washing the car.

-

-

-

An hour and a half later, the clan MacQuarrie was sitting down to breakfast, and the head of household was trying to get information on what was wrong with his only daughter. "Lor, normal people don't wash cars with their prom dresses at 6:30 on a Sunday morning."

"I'll bet some do." Lor shrugged as she filled her plate with pancakes and sausage. She raised her right arm into the air and closed her hand around a fruit of some type, setting it down in front of her. "Look, I just had a rotten time last night, and I'm dealing with it in my own way. I promise not to take your keys again, all right?" Lor promised.

"It's not about the keys, Lor, it's about you. This kind of behavior isn't like you at all. What could possibly have you so upset? Is this some kind of problem with that fella of yours?" Her father asked.

"I don't want to talk about it. I'll be fine, really." Lor grumbled.

"He didn't try to take advantage of you or anything, did he? Because I'll make him regret ever thinking-"

"Dad, relax. I can take care of myself in that department. And really, it's nothing like that at all. It's just. . .something I need to figure out on my own." Of course, this conversation seems rather usual to you and I, but I can assure you that with an uncountable amount of yelling siblings, fork fights for the last of the pancakes, and pieces of fruit flying through the air, it took considerably longer for these sentiments to be exchanged between Lor and her father. "Anyway, I think I'm gonna go out by myself tonight. I won't be home for dinner, but I should be back by eight or eight-thirty at the latest." Lor shrugged, indicating she didn't have any real plan and wasn't overly concerned about when she came home. It looked as though her father was trying to say something in response, but Lor stood up and headed for her bedroom before the conversation had a chance to carry any further. The only thing on her agenda for today was forgetting about Thompson.

-

-

-

"Come on T, answer!" Carver whined as the line rang a fifth time. He began wondering whether or not Tino was ready to talk about what had happened with Tish last night, when finally there was a voice at the other end of the phone.

"Hi Carver." Came the voice of Tino's mother. "Tino's not here right now. Actually, he is here, I just don't think he's all here. He's been moping in his bedroom. I was considering pulling rank on him and forcing him out, but you might be just what the doctor ordered."

Carver blinked twice. "Wait a minute. How did you know it was me. Man, I never really believed it until now, but T was right. You are psychic!"

"Whatever helps you guys sleep at night. Anyway, why don't you come over and talk with Tino. Or at least drag him out of bed. I would do it, but I don't want him to be overcome with hostility when he finds out what he's having for dinner tonight. But I'm sure he could use a good friend right now."

"Sure, I can come. You hear anything from Tish yet?"

"She called last night, left a very. . .strange message. Tino hadn't gotten home yet. I deleted it because I was worried it would upset him."

"Ah, so I guess you know already." Carver sounded upset.

"I make it a habit to know whenever something's going on in my son's life." Miss Tonitini smiled slightly.

"You worried about him?" Carver asked.

"What are you, his father?!" She asked jokingly. "Yeah, I'm worried about him. I'm even worried about Tish. I know this must be hard on both of them.

"It's all a little. . .surreal to me." Carver admitted. "The idea of them not being together, it's too weird. I mean, years ago, when they first got together, I wasn't sure I could ever completely get used to it. Now just thinking about them being broken frightens me. They've been like a staple. No matter what goes on at school, there's always Tino and Tish. If they break up, what's left to believe in?"

"I think that whatever happens, things will work out for the best. If they were meant to be together, then they will be. But there's never any guarantees. And just because you love someone doesn't mean you can live with them. Tino's father and I are living proof of that."

"You ever think of writing one of those "Chicken Soup For The Soul" books?" Carver asked, not entirely in jest but with a smile on his face.

"Maybe after Tino's grown, we'll see."

"Alright. I'll be over in a bit then."

"Sounds good." Tino's mom answered, and they hung up together. "Great. Now I just need to find something to get him out of bed." She rolled her eyes.

-

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And so concludes another chapter. This one's only a day late. I've been finding it difficult to write lately, but I hope you'll still find this chapter up to snuff. It was imperative to me to focus on the characters being alone rather than together, to give a more accurate idea of what each is feeling and how they're coping with the events that transpired at Homecoming. More info on Tino next time out, of course.

As usual, please take a moment or three to let me know how I'm doing. I like to know with each update if I'm meeting your expectations or not. I do read my reviews carefully, as you can tell by the improved spacing in this chapter. The popularity of this story for the past year continues to astonish me, and its fanbase only seems to grow. I'd like you all to know that I appreciate that. Your reading of my fic is what keeps me writing, week in and week out. I'll admit that sometimes making my own self-imposed deadlines is difficult, but I try to keep my promises to you guys and girls out there. As other veteran fanfic authors can attest, this can be a very rewarding but very trying enterprise. You have to learn to roll with the punches. Sometimes when I sit down to start a new chapter, and a blank screen is staring me in front of the face, it can be frightening to think of. Knowing that I've got people out there expecting me to entertain them and I'm not really sure what's going to happen this week. Brings new meaning to the term "winging it." But it's how I write, and gathering from the reviews I get, it seems to be working. So thanks for sticking with me. You keep coming back for more, I'll keep staring down those blank screens and filling them!

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Send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

-

Lord Malachite

08/14/04

11:35PM

E-mail: 

AIM: Asukaphile26


	14. Acceptance

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Fourteen

"Acceptance"

Sunday

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Something was wrong. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. What had happened to the stage? A full crowd was seated in the Globe Theater, clamoring to be entertained by those on the stage below. But the players around her were wrong, dressed not in the costumes of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," but in jerseys, turning the stage into a court. Tish looked up into the crowd and began to notice the roar, the giant foam fingers, the people standing up and shouting down about unfair calls.

"What's going on here?" Tish asked, feeling lost and confused. From out of nowhere, she felt the basketball collide with her chest, and she embraced it out of instinct. The crowd went wild with Tish's recovery, but she stood dumbfounded, unsure what she should do. Feeling the eyes of all upon her, Tish began to bounce the ball, moving half-heartedly towards the center of the court. Guards moved in to block her, and she was forced to hold position, dribbling for her life, fearing she would lose her position. Realizing she was out of time, Tish jumped into the air and thrust the ball in the general direction of the basket. As it left her hands, the players and the audience vanished, leaving Tish alone. Blinking twice, Tish tried to regain a grip on what was going on.

The ball went wide, bounding of the backboard and bouncing back several feet. Tish did not give chase and the ball soon journey towards the stands, where a lone figure quickly took hold of it. She tossed it back and forth in her hands, testing it, and then began to dribble. "Lor?" Tish asked as the figure emerged from the shadows.

"Yeah, I'm back." Lor smiled. "Can't say I like what you've done with the place."

"I needed a break." Tish explained.

"Looks like you got it."

"Yeah. And now that I have it, I'm not sure it's what I wanted."

"Sometimes it's hard to know what you truly want." Lor offered.

"Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon." Tish responded.

"So what are you going to do about the Tino situation?"

"What I have to." Tish sighed. "I have to protect him, protect us. Even if it means I lose, even if it breaks my heart. . .I couldn't bear it if I caused him to resent me, or to miss out on his big chance in life."

"Even if you hurt him."

"Hurting those we love is what we do. I'm only human. And if there's one thing humans excel at, it's hurting each other."

"Don't you think it's time you faced your fears?" Lor asked directly.

"I'm not afraid."

"Yes you are!"

"Shoot the ball!" Tish shouted.

Lor gave Tish a dark look before sinking an easy two point shot, stepping back to allow Tish to grab the rebound. Tish continued to bounce the ball hardly against the floor. "This has nothing to do with my fears, nothing to do our relationship!"

"Oh but it does!" Lor assured her. "The very same fears you bow down before as a slave."

"What's wrong with being afraid of hurting others?" Tish retorted. "I consider that to be a healthy fear."

"Fears are just something begging to use you, just an excuse not to live. We both no what this is really about, Tish. Tino was right about you."

"Leave Tino out of this!"

"Why? This is all about Tino, and you know it! This is rooted far deeper than your little relationship. No, it's much worse than that. This is something fundamental, something you're always going to have to deal with regardless of whether you two decide to make it as a couple or not. Tino pegged you perfectly, and you lashed out at him for it. You're just a blind fool, Tish, trying to attack what you don't understand."

"I don't understand why I'm talking to you, that's for certain. You know nothing about my feelings, nothing about my fears."

Lor chuckled heartily, feeling giddy in the moment. "Well if I'm so unnecessary, I leave you to your nature, Tish." And Lor willed herself away, leaving nothing but her reverberating laughter.

Tish slammed the basketball onto the ground for effect, allowing the echo to drown out the sound of Lor's mockery. She stepped off the basketball court and entered the hallway, passing the nurses and doctors scurrying through the halls with clipboards. Tish turned a corner and entered a door that read "Nursery." Unlocked, shabby security, but the hospital did look overwhelmed with bigger problems at the moment.

There weren't many newborns lying in the incubators, which probably accounted for the lack of a guard. Tish walked past each one, stopping to look at the tiny features and the names of the tags. A beautiful baby girl named Dot Cardigan was lying in one. She waved at the infant, dazzled at how cute and peaceful she looked, decidedly unfussy for someone so new to the unforgiving reality of the world. Every so often, Tish wondered to herself what it really felt like back when she was in the womb, and if she was feeling particularly distraught, she might even wonder if it was worth coming out.

Foolishness. Of course it was worth the pain. As fraught with struggle as life could be, she couldn't imagine existing without ever knowing the family and friends that helped to shape who she was becoming every day. Her gaze settled on another of the newborns, this one wearing a blue tag. The name simply read "T. T." A coincidence? No, Tish decided, giving the baby a closer inspection. It was there, in the eyes. He had Tino's eyes. Something about that fact saddened Tish, a sorrow that quickly turned to anger. How could anyone dare to have the timid yet hopeful eyes of Tino? She wouldn't stand for it. Tish ran to the cabinets on the side of the room, ripping them open and spilling their contents onto the floor until she found what she was looking for. Gripping it in her hands, she marched back to the position of the mysterious "T.T." like a soldier. "Nothing personal kid, but there's only going to be one Tino and the world, and he's mine." Tish gently lowered the pillow over the crying newborn and pressed until she felt the movement underneath stop.

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"This is not who I am!" Tish insisted, holding her head in her hands and shaking it back and forth. "Stop it!"

"Isn't it?" Tino whirled on her. "How could it not be?"

"I am incapable of such an act!" Tish cried. "I have to be?"

"Are you? Wasn't it you who killed me? Cut me to the heart? Shoved a knife through my personal feelings?"

"You're not Tino." Tish's eyes shot daggers at the figure.

"You foul, selfish, unnatural little brat! Just who do you think you are? You would be lost without me, probably locked in your room not wanting to come out like the frightened little ostrich you are!" Tino spat at her.

"Get out!" Tish screamed.

"No." Tino smiled devilishly, allowing his shape to slowly distort. "I do not wish to leave. But it occurs to me that it is high time for a change." Tino's form dissolved and coalesced into a mirror image of Tish. "There cannot be two of us." The figure now spoke with Tish's voice as well. "You'll have to go."

"Just try it!" Tish returned the challenge. "I'm not afraid of you."

"You should be." Her double hissed. "You need to learn proper respect." She lashed out at Tish, trying to slash the girl's face with her nails. Tish easily ducked her blow, pushing her double away while she was vulnerable. "You can't run forever."

"You're not as strong as you think. This is my mind, my heart. And I have the final say over who I become." Tish declared. "Now, disappear from my sight, before I do something unpleasant."

"You won't always have all the power." Tish's other screeched.

"Get out!" Tish hollered, and her world became a blinding white flash.....

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"Hey? Tino's Mom? Are you there?" Carver asked as he knocked on the front door of the Tonitini's home. Miss Tonitini opened up mere moments later, smiling. "Hi Carver, how are you?"

"Not bad, it's Sunday. Ask me tomorrow if you wanna hear the bad news. Tino still up in his room?"

"Hardly a peep out of him all morning. Like I said, I'm getting worried about him. I can understand he's upset, but he's got to deal with this sooner or later. And like it or not, he's going to end up seeing Tish again. He can't avoid her forever."

"I'm hoping they just patch this up real quick and get on like always. I don't think I can handle the stress of them not liking each other. It's totally against the unwritten rules."

"I thought their getting together in the first place was against the rules." Tino's mother smirked.

"Oh, it was, it was." Carver readily agreed. "But since they went ahead and did it anyway, now it's like they're under an obligation to stay together until they die. . .or at least until we all go off to college and our friendships break up or something."

"Ever the optimist I see." Miss Tonitini cocked an eyebrow.

"You just don't understand! Tino and Tish breaking up, it could somehow unravel the fabric of the space time continuum! The world as we know it could cease to exist! We could already be living in an alternate reality and not even know it! We must repair the rift!" Carver sank to his knees, his arms reaching towards the ceiling in desperation.

"Uh-huh. Well, I'm. . .going to see if Tino's alive enough for company." Tino's mother rolled her eyes and quickly ascended the steps. She knocked on her son's door, which brought forth a low wail from inside.

"Tino, sweetie, you can't hide from your problems forever. Look, Carver came to see you, he was worried."

"I'm not coming out." Tino insisted.

"You've got to eat sooner or later, Tino."

"That's your evil plan, isn't it? Get my strength back so I can start feeling the pain at full bore? No thank you!"

"We can order out. . ." Miss Tonitini said enticingly.

At that comment, Tino's door cracked ajar. "You don't mean that."

"I do, just this once, you can have whatever you like. If you want to order a pizza, that's fine."

"No!" Tino said quickly. "No pizza. Pizza. . .reminds me too much of her. Let's get some Chinese."

"Okay. You come down and talk to cover, decide what you want to get from the restaurant and I'll pick it up. Don't worry, I'll give you some time alone to talk."

"Like you won't know what we say anyway." Tino sulked.

His mother only smiled in response. "You know everything will work out in the end, Tino. That's the funny thing about life."

"Yeah? Well I'll let you know if I ever get there."

"Suit yourself." Miss Tonitini shrugged.

Tino dragged his disheveled person out of bed. After half-heartedly running a comb through his hair, he slowly journeyed down to the living room, shuffling one step at a time.

"Yo, T! Thank goodness you're up. Man, you look terrible! Guess it was a rough night, huh?" Carver asked.

"You might say that. Forgive me if I'm not myself." Tino replied.

"As long as you don't give up being nervous and paranoid."

"If anything, I think I'm moreso now." Tino sighed.

"Man, she did cut you deep, didn't she? What can I do?" Carver seemed genuinely concerned for his old friend.

"Let's just order our food. My mom's actually letting me order out, and don't think for a second I'm not going to take full advantage of it, Tish or no Tish. This will be the highlight of my week, Carver. And that is so depressing, I could almost cry."

"C'mon man, we're men here." Carver pleaded.

"I said almost. I'm past. . .the worst of it. I think. More like hope." Tino rolled his eyes.

"On the bright side, I find that food always helps. Let's order us up a Chinese meal for an emperor!"

"Do you use food to solve all your problems?" Tino rolled his eyes.

"Hey, comfort food is a part of basic survival. Why do you think we go that pizza place every week?!"

"I dunno, I just thought it was kind of traditional. Y'know, Tish and I had are first real date there. Did you know they have pasta on the menu too? You can pack in enough carbs to feed a football team! We used to have this little table in the back. . .we didn't even have to put in an order, they always knew what we wanted. I guess I was a creature of habit. But. . .I don't think I could go back there and order pasta again. It's just too painful man."

"T, I know this is going to sound kinda lame, but you've gotta let it go. I know how you feel about her, and I know you can't just stop feeling that way, but this is one thing you can't obsess over."

"I know, I know!" Tino pounded the dining room table. "But what am I supposed to do? Tish is my friend, she's always been my friend. I'm hurt, and I'm angry, but I don't want to lose her entirely. Even if we can't be a couple anymore. . .I won't always feel this hurt. And I don't want her and me to not be able to talk to each other."

"Then talk to her." Was all Carver could say. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a walkie talkie. "Tish, you should come in."

"Ok. . ." Tish replied hesitantly over the radio. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

"You planned this?!" Tino was in shock.

"You guys have to start somewhere. Just talk. And listen." Carver moved to open the back door for Tish.

"I'm sorry sweetie, but this is for your own good." Tino's mother explained. "Carver and I will bring back dinner, okay? For four."

"Et tu, Mom?" Tino asked.

"You'll thank me later." She smiled.

As Miss Tonitini exited with Carver, Tish walked into the kitchen, clad all in purple, as she was wont. Both teens looked at each other rather sheepishly. "Hi." Tish said awkwardly.

"Hi." Tino responded without energy. "Um, you can sit."

"Thanks." Tish smiled weakly. Silence passed between them for over a minute. "Look, Tino. . .I don't know what it is I should say here, so I'm just going to try and muddle through. I'm sorry about last night. I was out of control. I never should've slapped you, and I'm really sorry about what I did. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you."

"Then why did you break up with me?!" Tino couldn't keep all the anger out of his voice.

"Because I care about you, and I don't want us to regret our time together later on. You know I care for you, Tino, I always have. Do you really think I like hurting you? Come on, you know me better than that."

"Tish, I told you I love you. Doesn't that count for something? Isn't that supposed to be like the hardest thing for a guy to do? Well I did it. I told the truth, because it felt good, and I thought it would make you feel good. Instead I get sucker punched in the gut and told we can't see each other anymore. So how am I supposed to feel?!"

"Hurt. Upset. Angry. Disappointed. I don't blame you for that, but what I want you to understand is that I have a purpose in doing this, and it isn't to cause you pain." Tish admonished.

"You say you want me to see other people." Tino declared. "Okay, let's say I do that. What if I don't want to be with them. What if I want to be with you?"

"I didn't say we could never date again Tino. If you can honestly tell me you've seen other people and taken them seriously, I wouldn't be averse to getting back together then. Because I intend to see other people too, Tino. I don't want us to make a mistake. Can't you just have a little faith that if we're really supposed to be together, we will be?"

"Tish. . .Tish, you just keep rationalizing this. This is like skydiving! There's no reason to jump out of a perfectly good airplane!"

"Think of the feeling when you make a safe landing. It's like being on top of the world. Er, so I've heard." Covered Tish.

"You've actually been skydiving?" Tino couldn't believe it.

"No! But, check with Dixon sometime. He gives a really good account of this one time he did. Anyway, Tino. I came here to make sure that no matter what happens, we manage to stay friends."

"I. . .don't know if I can do that right now, Tish. I'm really hurting here."

"What would it take to make this right?"

"Tish, I need to know what you really feel. Break up or no, I need to know what you think about me."

"Tino, this isn't right. I don't want to complicate things any worse than they are."

"Come on, Tish, you owe me this. I like to think that after all this time I know you. I want you to look me in the eye and tell me how you feel."

"You really want to do this?" Tish looked worried. Tino nodded without hesitation. "All right then." Tish sighed. She took a deep breath, and twined her left hand with Tino's. She gulped, almost audibly, then stared deeply into Tino's eyes, trying to find in them the feelings she really had. "I feel that you're my best friend." Tish whispered as his eyes looked back at hers. "I care for you, you're one of the most important people in the world to me. And I can sense your feelings too."

"You know how I feel." Tino looked away for only a moment.

"Yes. I do. And I. . .I. . ."

"You what?" Tino pleaded.

Tish looked up, pushing forward and getting nose to nose with her best friend. Their eyes locked in anticipation. Resisting the urge to cry outright, Tish settled on containment and allowed herself to tear up quietly. "I don't love you." She whispered. Tish refused to meet his look, feeling a mixture of shame and betrayal keeping her from looking directly at her friend.

"I see." Was all Tino could say. "I guess that's really all there is then."

"I'm sorry." Tish wept. "It's not you, Tino. It's me. That's part of the reason I feel we should take a break. I need to figure some stuff out for myself. But I know how you feel, and that means more than anything to me. I won't ever forget that, no matter what. I promise."

"I guess I should be grateful it means something." Tino sighed in endless frustration.

"Ouch. Tino, please don't make me the villain here."

"I'm gonna miss you, Tish. But I think you should go. If I'm going to get over you, I have to stop basking in your presence. Funny, isn't it. Even when I'm so angry and hurt over you I could scream, I still just want to sit next to you."

Tish winced but offered no response to the comment. She couldn't even begin to. "I'll go." Tish nodded gently. "But before I do. . ." Tish reached up to her brow, undoing the purple hairclip to her right. "I want you to keep this. You keep one, I'll keep the other. And if we're supposed to be together, then it will happen, please believe in that. But as long as we each keep these. . .we'll always have something to remind us of our connection, the things we've shared. And I hope we can still be friends when you're ready."

"I don't know what's going to happen, Tish. But if it will get you back to me, I'll do what you want. But I'm not giving up on you yet. Somehow, I'm going to win you back."

Tish sniffled a little. "I always was a sucker for those knights in shining armor."

"Even the foolish ones?" Tino asked, trying not to let his emotions get the better of him.

"The foolish ones were the most noble of all." She couldn't cry! Not here, not in front of him like this!. She had to go before she humiliated herself. "I should go. . ."

"Please, wait!" Tino grabbed Tish's arm, gently pulling her toward him. "Don't go out that door." Tino pleaded. "Even if you don't love me now. . .I can wait. Just don't leave me like this."

There was no point in hiding the tears any longer. Against her better judgment, she allowed herself the indulgence, failing to resist the urge to wrap her arms around Tino's neck, a caress that seemed like second nature to her. "I can't stay." Tish cried gently. "It's not fair to you. There are other flavors in this world besides me. Don't waste your time with just the one this early in the game. You can always come back for seconds, later."

"It's my time to waste." Tino shook his head.

"And my heart to hold onto."

He kissed her then, and she didn't resist him. It was slow and soft and sweet and Tish couldn't recall feeling so secure since she was but an infant in her mother's arms. With all the willpower she could find, she extricated herself from the lip lock, and set herself back on her own two feet, not recalling when she had left them. "I need to go. Please stop making it harder than it already is."

"How can you kiss me like that and tell me you don't feel anything!" Tino shouted. "What is with you Tish? I know you felt that!"

"I did." Tish nodded. "But Tino. . .sometimes a kiss is just a kiss. One last memento, for all the nights. I. . .I guess I'll see you in school. Goodbye, Tino." Tish took one long, last look before stepping out the backdoor. Once off the porch, she ran all the way home, leaving Tino once again to figure out how he was supposed to stop feeling the way he did about his best friend.

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Hi again folks, it's just your friendly author. This time I'm a whole week late. What I regret the most is that while I feel this chapter is good, it could've been better. I just wasn't in the zone this time, and for that I apologize. But it's reached a point that I'm so far behind schedule, I'm more concerned with getting the chapter out than waiting another week to try and perfect it. I can always rewrite it later, anyways!

It's good to be back in the saddle. This chapter was a nightmare to write for reasons I don't fully comprehend, and I'm still not completely satisfied with how it's turned out. But at least I finally managed to turn the finished product in.

Thanks all of you who continue to come up with such glowing reviews. It warms my heart to see your reactions to my little story, like I'm really sharing something important with you all. I humbly ask that you all keep writing in, even if you don't like a chapter or scene or idea. I just enjoy hearing from you.

Most importantly, I'm now working on a two chapter project which will recap the story with both previous footage and brand new "retro footage" of scenes that happened but which you've never got to see. The real surprise is that not all of this material is written by me, but I've enlisted the help of some of the more prominent Weekenders authors and fans for this project. If you have something you would like to contribute, please get in touch with me via e-mail or AIM and we'll work something out.

Shameless plug alert! I'm also going to take a moment to point out there's another great story in the works by Lord Canti, the God of Weekenders Fanfiction himself. Some of you may not have noticed, since it's rated R and FFN defaults the categories to only display stories that are G, PG, and PG-13 rated. But if you're in the mood for something new and exciting (and a bit mature, mind you), go look for "Baskets For Bucks Redux" by Lord Canti. You can find it simply by changing the rating filter in the category screen, or by doing an author search for him. Enjoy!

As always, send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

09/11/04

3:32AM, EST

E-mail: 

AIM: Asukaphile26


	15. A Fresh Start

Awakening: Third Stage

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Chapter Fifteen

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"A Fresh Start"

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New Year's Eve

"Hey, Tino here. Back in the saddle again. So it's New Year's Eve and I'm standing on Lor's front porch. Of course, you probably already knew that, but I've been in something of a funk for the past month, and I feel the need to explain myself. And narrate my life."

"It's been a whole month since Tish came to my house to say her peace. And we've been avoiding each other ever since. Yeah, I guess you could say that things have been pretty awkward. I miss her even more than I thought I would, but I guess that she doesn't miss me. I hope that we can at least be friends again soon."

"And speaking of friends, there's my new 'best bud,' Carver. He's so desperate to take my mind off of Tish that we haven't hung out with Lor at all either. I haven't even seen her outside of school. Even when I do talk to her. . .she seems different. Sometimes I get so absorbed in my own sorrow that it's easy to forget how Lor has been hurt too. I need to spend more time with her, we understand what the other is going through. And it's about time I started hanging out with Tish again. Even if it will be hard, I have to be stronger if I don't want to lose her as a friend. So, I guess it's kinda obvious that tonight is destined to be one of those awkward moments you keep thinking back on and wincing over. You know what I mean. Okay, here goes." Tino knocked on Lor's front door and was greeted a few moments later by his friend, who instantly lit up upon seeing the boy.

"Tino!" Lor called enthusiastically, all but hugging him. "Where the heck have you been since Homecoming?"

"Hi Lor!" Tino smiled, noting that it felt good to see her again. Better than he had expected. "Um, I guess that it's been awhile. . ."

"Awhile? Dude, you and Carver hardly even say hello to me anymore. The two of you have been like totally invisible!"

"I know, I know. Carver's been trying to be my 'best bud,' and keep me from thinking about Tish. It's nice of him, but. . .I want to hang out with you and Tish again. He thinks I've developed some sort of phobia of girls or something."

"Did you?"

"No, I didn't!" Tino said loudly, proud of himself. Heck, now I can even stare at a picture of Tish without crying. Yup, I'm doing all right for myself. But I definitely want us to hang out again, Lor."

"You'd better! Next time, remember that it was Tish you broke up with, not me, okay?"

"All right. And I'm sorry. I won't let it happen again, Carver or no Carver."

"That's more like it."

"So I guess you've been feeling kind of left out lately, Lor. And I realize now that I'm not the only one who lost someone close to them." Tino sighed.

"I'll give you a pass, this time. I mean, admittedly I wasn't thinking about you a whole lot either. I'm still really upset over this whole Thompson thing."

"Because he left?" Tino asked.

"No, because I was so stupid, I never did anything until it was almost too late. Well I'm never going to make that mistake again! The next time some guy catches my eye, I'm going in guns blazing!" Lor raised her fist into the air.

"Right. And I'll be sure to call for backup." Tino rolled his eyes, then cleared his throat. "You look good, Lor."

"Um, thanks." Lor replied hesitantly. "You look pretty good too, especially after what you went through. I know that Tish meant a lot to you. . ."

"As much as Thompson meant to you?"

"No, I think what you had for Tish is a lot deeper. Especially considering what you said to her."

"It was. It is. I don't know anything anymore, Lor." Tino closed his eyes and cleared his throat again, worried that he might cry in front of her.

"It'll be okay, Tino." Lor patted his shoulder lightly.

Tino chuckled a little. "People only say that when they don't know what else to say."

"Yeah. But I have heard her side of the story. Not that I understand it or anything. But she still cares for you, if it helps."

"It does."

"I care about you too." Lor said hesitantly, turning away after realizing what she just said. "Um, don't expect me to hug you or anything."

"Coming from you? I'd feel sorta scared!" Tino laughed. "But you do seem different lately."

"I'm still adjusting to my Thompsonless life, I guess."

"You weren't even with him that long, Lor."

"Keep it up, wiseass! I'm going to hang upside down by your bedroom window with a giant clown poster!"

"DO NOT!" Tino shouted, pointing at the girl while she laughed at his Achilles heel.

"Dude, Tish is coming up the sidewalk. Do you wanna come inside?"

"No thanks. I can't keep running away from her. Even if our romance is gone, I need her to be my friend. I don't want to lose her."

On queue, Tish began coming up the front walkway, waving at Lor, who returned the gesture. Tino gulped once, then turned around to smile. "Hi Tish."

"Tino." Tish returned the smile, her voice making her sound so alive. "You look well."

"I'm doing okay." Tino ran a hand through his hair, noting how Tish's own hairstyle had changed somewhat, a lone clip holding her hair in the middle, it fell down the sides a bit, cascading. "You look great, Tish. I'm glad that we're here."

"I want us to stay friends." Tish reassured him. "We owe that to the others. And even though it hurts. . .it wasn't as bad as it could've been."

"It still hurts, Tish."

"I know." Tish took his hand in her own and squeezed it gently. "I didn't leave you for anyone else. It wasn't like that at all. I realize that you still don't understand my reasons, but whenever you feel really torn up about it, try to remember that I did this because I'm your friend. I care about what happens to you. And that is something that will never change, girlfriend or no."

"Thanks Tish." The corners of Tino's mouth lifted into the smallest of smiles.

Tish let go of his hand and straightened his collar. "Thank you for coming. You're a good friend. The best."

"What are friends for?" Tino asked, looking into her eyes.

Tish stared back for several moments, unable to blink. "I do miss you." She whispered before lowering her arms and stepping away.

Lor smiled at the two of them. "So does this mean you two aren't going to kill each other?" She asked chidingly.

"Happy new year to you too, Lor." Tish rolled her eyes. "And no, Tino and I are not going to kill each other. Not today anyway."

Lor shrugged and waved at the approaching, fashionably late Carver. "Dude, about time you got here!" Lor called to him.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't decide on the right pair of shoes. I get some really sweet ones for Kwanzaa, but then I kept changing my outfit and. . ."

"Short version please?" Lor interrupted.

"Um, sorry I'm late?" Carver grinned sheepishly.

"Thank you. Now can we please get inside to wear the snacks are? I've been starving myself all day so we can all pig out together!" Lor led the way into her home, her friends following, yet Tino held back a bit.

"There! You see what I mean? When have you ever known Lor to inconvenience herself for someone else, even her friends? The Lor I know would've totally finished all the best snacks by now. I'm getting a little worried about her. Losing Thompson obviously had a more detrimental effect than I had thought. Okay, I'm definitely going to start keeping an eye on her. You can't ever rule out conspiracy, you know. I mean, what are the odds of both Lor and I losing our significant others on the same night? Coincidence? Oh, we'll just have to see about that!"

Lor appeared next to Tino, pulling on his arm. "C'mon, Tino, you're holding up the party!"

"That's more like it!" Tino grinned as Lor pulled him inside the MacQuarrie household.

-

-

Carver sat on one end of the L-shaped sofa, digging into the large bowl of potato chips and a can of cola. Tish was resting just two cushions to the left of Carver, nibbling on a carrot stick she held between her dainty fingers. Tino watched her with one eye from four cushions away, falling in love all over again with the way her hair cascaded down her back, her usual hairstyle not having changed much from when she had first became his girlfriend three years earlier. It had grown a bit longer in the front, now clipped in the middle instead of at each side. Her bangs hung down, cropped close to her eyes but not obscuring her vision. She was staring straight ahead, her right hand resting on her chin while her left held the vegetable. Somehow, Tino began to feel guilty that he didn't have the matching hairclip she had entrusted him with so many weeks ago. Every fiber of his being wanted to be closer to his ex-girlfriend, to hold her once more, but he refused to give into his selfish desires. He would not risk making her uncomfortable, or getting her upset. She had made her decision and acting like a child would not improve his situation with her one iota.

The house was eerily quiet, as the remainder of the MacQuarrie clan had gone down to the beach with a grill, fireworks, and a portable TV to ring in the new year. Lor sat directly to the left of Tino, passing a worrying expression at Tino, noticing the longing look he was passing in Tish's oblivious direction. She reached for a can of soda and said nothing. She couldn't think of anything that would comfort Tino. She couldn't even think of anything that would comfort herself, what could she possibly do for him? This was beginning to seem like one of the worst parties she had ever seen. How embarrassing was it that she was playing the hostess?

"Okay, so this is awkward." Carver spoke what was on everyone's mind.

"Well, it might've helped if you and Tino hadn't been avoiding us for like the past month!" Lor voiced loudly.

"It was a good idea, Lor!" Tish protested. "Things were getting pretty emotional for all of us. Well, except maybe for Carver."

"What!" Carver yelled. "So all three of my friends are hurting and it's not supposed to bother me? What, do you think that just because I'm the only one who hasn't had a steady that nothing upsets me? Because I know the pain, sister! Don't pretend you know my pain!"

"Stop being so melodramatic, Carver, you're giving me a headache!" Lor moaned.

"You're all against me! This is unreal!"

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Tino shouted, demanding everyone's attention. "Mute! We're all friends here! Can't we all just get along like pseudo adults?"

"I knew this would happen." Lor mumbled.

"Know what, Lor?" Tish asked, her curiosity piqued.

"This all your fault! You had to go and break up with Tino and now our group is all messed up!"

"How can you say that!" Tish roared, a taste of bile rising in her throat. "The whole reason I'm here is to show that friendship always endures!"

"Lor. . ." Tino sighed, "If Tish and I can agree to get along as friends, then how is everything wrecked? I don't hate Tish, I love her." Tino held up a hand to stop any interruption from Tish regarding that comment. "That's a major bone of contention between the two of us. And it's caused us to avoid each other for the past month. The two of us see eye to eye on precious little right now, but we agree that we're friends. But we both showed up here because we're friends. We aren't enemies. We must not be enemies."

Tish smiled at that comment. "Abraham Lincoln?"

"Que?" Tino asked, feeling confused and finding that he had lost his momentum.

"You just quoted Abraham Lincoln." Tish reiterated.

Tino still felt befuddled. "Well, I wouldn't put this on the same level as the Civil War, Tish, but I think I get what you're saying."

"We need to stick together as friends." Tish nodded. "We've all been through some bad stuff, but it's up to us to grow stronger from it, or give in to our hardships. I don't want to give in. What about you guys."

"Isn't that easy for you to say, Tish?" Lor spat sarcastically.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Lover boy here has been casting longing glances at you ever since you got here. Things would seem pretty easy for me too if I knew I had my ex-boyfriend wrapped around my pinky finger!"

Tino's face took on a mortified expression while Tish stood up feeling angrier than she had in a very long time. "I don't have to listen to this!"

"That's right, you don't." Lor threatened. "But then, you never listen to anything that you don't want to listen to, do you Tish? Everything always has to be your way!"

"Hey! Knock it off, ladies!" Carver ran over, getting between the girls as Lor stood up. "This isn't helping the situation. You two know you're friends, so apologize and start acting like it!"

"I will if she will." Lor pouted.

"Lor. . ." Tino rolled his eyes.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry already!" Lor sighed.

"I'm sorry." Tish said, more sincerely, but still with a noticeable amount of frustration in her voice. "Can we just. . .start over?"

"A fresh start sounds good to me." Tino agreed.

"It would give us an excuse to forget about all this." Carver grinned.

Lor nodded. "Okay. Hi, I'm Lor."

"I didn't mean that fresh." Tish rolled her eyes. "Like this. Happy new year!"

"It's only 7 o'clock." Carver looked at his watch.

"Well, I say we get a jump on the celebration. Who's up for a pizza?" Tish asked.

"Now you're talkin' my language, Miss Katsufrakis."

Tino smiled, helping himself to one of the plentiful cans of soda. Maybe somehow, they would get through this. Maybe somehow, they could agree to be friends first and let the other stuff come second. After all, it was New Year's Eve, a time for burying hatchets and resolutions to make yourself a better person. But little did any of them realize that the dark shadows were looming in January, waiting to strengthen the strain.

-

-

-

Ha ha! I'm back! Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. Okay, so actually, I haven't been dead, I was just off writing a very long and complex story for a different fandom, and then I took a vacation. And now. . .I'm not sure, I still sort of feel like I'm on vacation, but it's about time Third Stage so and update, now isn't it?

Having been gone for so long, I'm sure you all expected a bit more out of this update than you got. It's okay, be honest. I'm sorry about that, but circumstances require that I get this chapter out now or risk it falling by the wayside for entirely too long. Rest assured that I'll do better in the future and avoid ridiculous lag times between updates.

The purpose behind this chapter was to immerse myself in this story once more, I need to find its track again, so please forgive me if it's a little bumpy here and there. I'm working on it. One of the biggest adjustments is that the pacing will change a bit as I have a lot to do with these characters, and I have a lot of stories in me, and the all too realistic fact is that my fanfic writing days are numbered. It's not that I don't love writing fanfiction, but I can see that a time is coming when I just won't have the time to devote to the hobby anymore. I don't want that to happen before at least getting through my Fourth Stage of Awakening.

That said, I want to take the time to thank each of you who support me in all that I do. It's because of your love that I have kept Awakening as part of my current projects and not cast it off to chase after other rainbows. I want to do my best to make sure that Awakening is the best Weekenders fanfic you have the problem of reading. Sadly, that's purely a matter of opinion, and one reader's treasure is another's trash, but if you've come along this far, I'm going to hazard that I must be doing something right. So I'm sorry that I've been gone so long, and thanks for bearing with me. If you haven't been keeping tabs and are wondering where I've been, check out "The Sweet Hereafter" under the Hey Arnold category. Or just click on my name to see everything I've written. You don't need to be reading anyone else's fanfiction anyway! (That's a joke, people). Laugh!

I will admit that throughout my hiatus. I found myself missing my girls, Lor and Tish. I felt like Tino was looking for me and I even gave a high five to Carver, who does have something going on later this Stage, believe it or not. I guess Weekenders blood runs through my veins. Or I just need to get back to my roots. But it's good to be here, very good indeed. Now, it's been a long time, and this story really needs a boost. People out there need to know it's not dead. So review the crap out of this thing! Tell the world how wonderful it is. Or at least that you're glad to have it back. Or even sorry to see it back. Whatever fancies your tickle.

And if you can't get enough of me, then send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

02/07/05

5:19AM, EST

E-mail: ranger(underscore)writer(at)yahoo(dot)com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	16. Machinations

Awakening: Third Stage

Chapter Seventeen

"Machinations"

New Year's Day

Tish sat alone at a table in the mall of the Bahia Bay Mall food court, nursing a half-melted Chug-A-Freez. This was New Year's Day, better known as the last day of Winter break. Tomorrow, school would resume, bringing with it a new air on uncertainty. Tish absently removed the black headband from her hair, twirling it with her left index finger before allowing it to clatter onto the table in front of her. Last night had felt rather disconcerting. It hadn't been easy to confront the fact that Tino still wanted her as his significant other. Not to mention suppressing her own emotions. Despite her adamant belief that breaking up with Tino was the right move rationally, if not emotionally, she held a quiet discomfort as she gripped the cup in her hands, the sugary drink doing little to ease her pain. Even after a month had passed, she was daunted by the effects on her heart. "I didn't expect it to hurt so much." She spoke quietly, not sure if she wanted anyone to hear her but too frustrated to keep everything to herself. A large man behind the counter sighed, filling another cup from his tap and bring it out to Tish before her request even came.

"Boy trouble?" The "barkeep" asked, somewhat against his will. Listening to the turmoil of adolescents was a part of the job he didn't get paid for.

"I wish it were only that simple." Tish pouted.

"Life problems, then?"

"That would be a more accurate assessment, yes. Everything used to make sense, and now I'm second and third guessing myself on what I should have for a snack, let alone what to do with friends and lovers."

"You shouldn't overthink things so much at your age. Friends, jobs, boys. . .your life will be full of lots of them. You're a lucky girl."

"Why do you say that?" Tish asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Because you're only fifteen. You've got your whole life ahead of you. Plenty of time for correcting any mistakes you make along the way."

"Great. Now I just need to figure out what mistakes are."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry. They tend to out themselves with quite a bit of fanfare, in my experience. And if you have good friends, you'll find that you can weather most storms with little trouble."

"I've got the best friends I could ever ask for." Tish beamed, taking a large slurp of her refill.

"So where are they now?"

"Well. . .things haven't been the best between us recently. I guess you could say that I'm partly to blame. I messed thing up with my boyfriend. . .ex-boyfriend. He was my best friend, and. . .sometimes I watch him when he isn't looking and. . .I worry that I may have broken his heart."

"What about your heart?"

"Me?"

"I don't see anyone else here, kiddo."

"I. . .I'm not sure. I've never really been in love. I've read about it, studied it, waited for that feeling to come. I've always known that it would be just perfect. . ."

"Mmm-hmm. So, what you're saying is, you don't know what it feels like, but you will when it happens. Has anyone ever loved you?"

Tish frowned, suddenly feeling small. "He told me he loved me. But I just can't accept that. He hasn't ever been with anyone else. Neither have I. It's just too much to believe. I know what love is supposed to be like!"

"Do you? Who told you?"

"I. . .I. . .it's supposed to be pure and natural!"

"And it wasn't like that when he expressed his feelings?"

"Actually, he did that pretty well. I think. . .I've been pretty foolish, haven't I?"

"Well, I prefer to let people arrive at those kinds of realizations themselves, kid. But the important thing is, now you know. And I think you should have a talk with that friend of yours before it's too late."

Tish chugged the rest of her beverage, wiping her mouth with a napkin and standing up. "I think you're right. But I have to talk with some other people first. I'm going to fix everything with Tino tomorrow."

"You're gonna wait?"

"Only for dramatic effect." Tish smiled. "I dumped him in front of the entire school, it's only fair if I admit I was wrong in the same manner."

"Heh. Spoken like a true actress, little lady."

"I do my best. Can you do me a favor?" Tish asked.

"What's that?"

"Point me towards the nearest restroom!"

Tino sat on the edge of his bed, thumbing neutrally through a scrapbook of photos. It was his _Tino and Tish _scrapbook, a veritable stroll through all their memories as a couple. Tino possessed a plethora of similar books, each one corresponding to Carver, Lor, and Tish (as his friend), and several volumes of the four of them together. He wasn't certain when he had become so sentimental. Looking through these photos of Tish and himself, he found that the pain and anger had largely subsided. Now, he was merely sad. He wanted her back in his life the way she had been before, but Tish was terribly stubborn sometimes. He had to start facing up to the reality that she might be lost to him as a woman. Sighing, he flipped a page as Lor opened the door to his bedroom, announcing herself.

"Hey. Your mom said you were up here moping." Lor said, crossing the distance to Tino's bed. The sun beaming in through the window bathed it with a warm, inviting glow, and Lor found that for someone who was looking so somber, the setting was cozy.

"Oh great. Now my pity party has guests." Tino rolled his eyes. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Actually, I, um, came alone. I didn't sleep much last night. My conscience was bothering me. Funny, I thought I had gotten rid of that stupid thing." Lor grumbled.

"Many have tried, few have succeeded. Except for politicians. And lawyers. And those freaky sociopathic cannibal serial killers. Aaah!" Tino curled up and rolled back onto the safety of his bed, curled into the fetal position. Lor laughed, pulling him back upright.

"Dude, I never get tired of watching you do that!"

"Glad I can amuse you." Tino smiled slightly. "Now, why are you feeling guilty.?"

"Because I was such a bitch last night."

"Well, I don't know if I would go that far."

"I would. I'm just. . .I'm angry with Tish for throwing away her relationship with you. I lost the guy I was after because I waited too long, and then she just walks away from a perfect romance! It's just wrong!"

"It's okay Lor, I'm over it."

"Liar."

"Hey, don't get me wrong, I think about her all the time. It's just that I'm adapting. I haven't stopped loving her. But I can't force her to take me back either. Tino motioned for Lor to sit down. She complied, and he spread the open scrapbook over both of their legs. Reaching into his shirt, he pulled out a special object that had been given to him over two years earlier. A thin piece of circular metal glinted in the sun, painted a clear mix of purple and pink, the sun making it shine.

"Dude, what is that?" Lor asked, becoming mesmerized by the object.

"Something Tish gave me for our first anniversary as a couple. Whenever I wear this, I feel closer to her. I know that we aren't together now, but like I said, I still love her. I'm not going to stop until I'm ready. But when I look at this, I feel stronger. If she doesn't want to get back together, then maybe it will give me the strength to let her go. I need to love her enough to let her go."

Lor looked away from her friend, not sure how to deal with Tino's emotional reaction. She bored her eyes into some of the photos in the album, one from their Middle School graduation dance drawing in her attention. Lor envied how beautiful Tish looked in formal wear, herself, she always felt awkward and out of place while wearing it. She couldn't even put on a pair of high heels without tripping all over herself. Lor absent mindedly cupped a hand to her face, wishing she looked as pretty as her friend in these pictures. Tish always had been good at all the girl stuff. "You guys always did look together." Lor's smile was soft, her lips parted in a curious manner.

Tino nodded, tracing Tish's hair in a photograph through the plastic protective sheet. "I'll never forget the feeling of holding her in my arms, even if I never hold her again. I don't know if you understand what that's like. I'm sorry if you don't, but I hope it's something you come to know with the right person.

Again, Lor couldn't think of anything to say, so she instead began flipping pages, stopping when she came to a list of names. "What's this? Are these like pet names you guys used to have for each other?"

Tino blushed. "No, it's, um, uh. . .a list of, y'know. . .baby names that Tish and I were kicking around for fun."

Lor's eyes went wide. Babies! "I can't compete with that." She muttered.

"I'm sorry?" Tino asked?

"Lor clamped a hand over her mouth, then released it, feeling very hot. "I mean, you know, I'm not really the type to look that far ahead. Not that I've never thought about kids and stuff but, uh" Man, what is wrong with me? Competing with Tish? Since when am I competing with her?

"That's too bad. I bet you'd make a pretty good mom, Lor."

Now it was Lor's turn to blush. "Thanks. I just hope I'm as good at coming up with names as you guys." Lor grimaced when she saw the name "Thaddeus" in with the rest. "On second though, maybe I don't want to be _that _good."

"It's okay." Tino's smile looked very sad to Lor. She thought that he noticed her gaze, because he shifted his eyes down to the album in his lap. "None of this is going to happen now." Tino closed the book of photos, placing it on a shelf above his head, not far from a dried out wreath that Lor had learned was the boy's first romantic gift from Tish. The phrase "gone but not forgotten" echoed in Lor's mind. She was a little surprised when Tino reached for another album.

"Dude, how many photos do you have?" Lor asked.

"Well, I took that photography class in eighth grade. I guess it stuck with me. Anyway, this set is different. Behold, the life and times of Lor MacQuarrie!" Tino smiled as he opened the blue book, indeed full of pictures of her visage. "I hope that I got your good side."

Lor stared wide eyed at the collection of pictures, chronicling her many athletic triumphs, several shots of herself leaning against the Wall of Fame at Funville, and what she considered to be one of her more embarrassing moments from last year, a secret none but her friends knew. At the Freshman dance, she had sung a slow song at the insistence of the music teacher. Afraid of her image being ruined, she had performed over the PA system in the office, Carver guarding the door in case anyone wandered by. The picture was rather flattering, the red sequin gown looking much better on her than she had thought while wearing it. Maybe red was her color after all.

"I didn't know you paid so much attention." Lor spoke hesitantly, looking at a page full of trophies she had accumulated.

"You're my friend." Tino assured her, grinning. "What, you think that just because I was seeing Tish that I had no time for you guys?" You're not going to make me get out the Carver album, are you?"

"No, no, I get the point. I'm just not really used to people giving me that kind of attention. I have a lot of brothers. . ."

"Hey, you know we'll never forget about you, Lor."

Lor blinked, feeling small. "Can I tell you something Tino?" She asked very carefully, grabbing handfuls of mattress nervously.

"Anything." Tino brought himself down backwards onto his bed, his head resting centered on the surface and his legs reaching over the pillow, feet planted on the wall in a manner his mother would not doubt disapprove of.

"I feel like I'm losing myself. I don't even know who I am. Well, not that I have amnesia or anything, but. . .I only feel comfortable around you now. Like no one else even gets me anymore, not even me!"

"Lor, I-"

"Do you know how pathetic it feels that you're the one who's protecting me? Lor covered her mouth again in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"Eh, I'm not offended. I've never claimed to be much of a courage guy." Tino smirked.

"But something inside me is looking for you to save me or something. I'm broken, Tino. Do you know what that's like? Of course you do, who am I kidding? I just. . ." Lor stopped talking, fearful she was going to cry and lose all control. Her fears were well deserved, as silent tears did wet her cheeks when she leaned over and kissed her friend. Her kiss was soft, warm but not passionate. There was an apprehensive feel to it, as though she knew she was doing something wrong but still couldn't help herself. Lor pulled away after only moments, mewing uncomfortably and feeling like she wanted to strangle herself. "Tino, I-I'm sorry! I don't know what. . .um, I really gotta go!" Tino stared wide-eyed, unable to even think, visions of Tasha and Tish and Lor dancing in his overloaded brain. "Um, I'm just going to go ahead and go now. . ." Lor waved her arms frantically in front of her, slowly stepping backwards towards the door. ". . .Er, yeah, so, I'm going, because going is what I have to do if I want to be on time for my copulation. I mean my humiliation! I mean, um, bye!" Lor turned on her heel and darted out the door and down the stairs, not even acknowledging the wave from Tino's mother in her desperation to escape the mortification she had just visited upon herself.

"A fine farewell to you too." Miss Tonitini cocked an eyebrow as Lor shot out her front door at Mach 1. She sighed as the screen door slammed shut.

Up in his room, Tino stared unbelievingly at the ceiling in his room, not entirely certain what had just happened to him. As a cosmic reminder, an old memento literally fell into his lap. A smattering of dialogue from Hamlet greeted his eyes. Tino shuddered inwardly, feeling the cosmic accusation. "Tish?" Tino asked the emptiness of his room. "What am I supposed to do here? I. . .I don't want to lose you. I know that we broke up. But I also know that, in my heart. . .I. . .I just don't know anymore. I love you more than anything, but we just can't seem to get it together. Are we really gone? Have I only been fooling myself that we'll get back together? What's happening to my life?" A thick silence was the only comfort he was given.

"Omigawd, omigawd, omigawd, omigawd, omigawd, omigawd, omigawd, omigawd, omigawd, omigawd, omigawd, omigawd!" Lor exclaimed with every footfall as she raced down the sidewalk, shaking her head in disbelief at her own stupidity. "This can't be happening! I just totally humiliated myself! I can't like Tino, I just can't! I won't!" She groaned as she turned into her driveway, wallowing in her own embarrassment. She immediately headed for the garage, digging out her favorite basketball to turn her frustrations towards an outlet she was more skilled at. The ball felt so comfortable in her hands, the weight just right, the freckles of its regulation surface feeling more natural and intimate than her bra, but then, she had always been the true blue tomboy of the family, next to Granny MacQuarrie. Lor bent her knees and hurled the ball at the nearest basket, it bounced off the backboard and arced wildly to the side, and she had to chase after the rebound. Her game was totally off, too many distractions assaulting her mind. Lor recovered her ball and sat down on the warm asphalt, contemplating how her life was rapidly spiraling out of control. The situation would rapidly careen into full scale pandemonium if Tish ever found out what she had done. "Not that it's any of her business." Lor vocalized. After all, Tish hadn't even seen fit to share her relationship with Tino to the rest of them for an entire year, so it wasn't as though she wasn't owed a little privacy of her own. "Yep, you can justify anything if you put your mind to it." Lor allowed herself a smile, tracing a finger over her lips. "That was actually kind of nice, considering how it went down." Lor leaned backwards, and her head bumped against the driveway. "But why do I get the feeling that this whole thing is gonna blow up in my face like bubblegum?"

Tish stepped into the bookstore after making two side trips to the bathroom, cursing her choice of a liquid lunch. The store was quiet with few customers roaming the aisles, much like the mall itself. Most people were still recovering from celebrating the New Year the night before. Tish sauntered over to the front counter, smiling at an arguably cute and familiar clerk who nodded in her direction, recognizing her as a regular.

"Hi there, Tish, what can I do for you today?"

"Hello, Terry, nice to see you." Tish greeted him. "I'm looking for something special."

"Anything in particular?"

"No, I'm just looking for something new and different."

"That's funny. Rumor has it you've been thinking of someone old and familiar."

"What, are you and the Chug-A-Freez guy in cahoots or something?" Tish asked, slightly bewildered. "Perfect, the whole world is keeping track of my sordid love life."

"Not the whole world, Tish. Just us friendly citizens of the Bahia Bay Mall. And you know there's nothing sordid about it." Terry winked. "Although if you want the grudging opinion of one book clerk, he was worth holding onto."

"Yes, well, I seem to be the only one who thinks that I made the right decision on that one. So stop the presses, I'm about to admit that I've been wrong about something."

"Now there's an event that doesn't happen every day!"

"I wouldn't get used to it." Tish replied. "But it's about time I admit it. I miss him so much. You know, not even my parents supported me on this one. It's like everybody knows something that I don't. So I give. I'm going to stop being afraid and tell Tino what he deserves to hear. And I'm going to do it in front of the whole school tomorrow, just like when we broke up in the first place."

"But first, you're here for another book, right?"

"Aren't I always?" Tish batted her eyes, removing her glasses to clean them with her shirt. "Tino might be one of the best things to ever happen to me, but books will always be my first love."

"Sure I can't convince you to squeeze me in there somewhere?" Terry smiled.

"You're trying to ask me out after I've decided to get back together with Tino? You either have a lot of imagination or a lot of self-confidence."

"Or impeccably bad timing."

"Hey, I do like you Terry. You could even be my type. But it's just that, well, my heart, I think it belongs to. . ."

"Hey, it's okay. Anyway, you came here for an escape, not another soap opera. I think I might have just the thing. It's serial fiction, really popular on college campuses and private high schools. It's called _Jennifer's Ghost_."

"_Jennifer's Ghost_? Never heard of it." Tish clicked her tongue.

"It's kind of an underground thing, but word on the street is that it's on the verge of crossing over into mainstream. I convinced the boss to take a chance and put in a small order for a few copies. I've been reading it every day. I really think it's going to take off!" Terry emphasized.

"Ah!" Tish exclaimed. "Ever the optimist, I see. That's the Terry I know. So what's it about?"

"A ghost, haunting the places she knew in life. The ending is something that's a real twist, I think you'll be impressed." Terry handed her a copy of the book, which was much larger in form than the average book, looking more like a trade paperback. The paper felt rough against her slender, feminine fingers. She flipped the book over in her hands, reaffixing her glasses in place in order to read the back cover text. Her eyebrows arched twice, and she gawked when her eyes caught a glimpse of the price."

"13.95!" You've got to be kidding me! I won't be a working girl until next year, you know! What, does this publisher think us poor high school kids and college students are made of money!"

"Tapped yourself out on all those Chug-A-Freezes, huh?" Terry smiled. Tish fidgeted with her handbag in a bit of embarrassment. "Well, I suppose it can't be helped." He took the book from her and rang it out at the register, pushing several keys after scanning the barcode. "How does 8.49 grab you?"

"Whoa! What's with"

"Employee discount. You will put in an application after you turn sixteen, won't you?"

"To be honest, I haven't really given it a lot of thought." Tish pursed her lips. "But I guess it would be kind of fun."

"You say that now, wait until you work your first Black Friday."

"Aren't you supposed to talk me into this?"

"What, my winning smile and good looks aren't enough to convince you?"

"You are incorrigible!" Tish grinned, playfully whapping the clerk with her handbag.

"Guilty as charged."

Tish rolled her eyes as she opened her small purse to come up with the balance. "I can't say that it doesn't suit you." She chided as she accepted her change and carefully wrapped the book up inside of its sturdy plastic bag.

"Be sure to tell Tino what a lucky guy he is."

"I will. But I'm the lucky one."

"With hair like yours? That boy is a charmed one, I tell you!" Terry insisted.

Tish giggled happily and flipped her hair for show. "I'm glad you approve. I'm sorry to rush out, but I have a prior engagement with an older man." She replied in her most sophisticated voice.

Terry's eyebrows rose considerably at the remark, but he refrained from commenting. "I hate to see you leave, Tish." He winked. "But I love to watch you go."

Tish smiled brightly and turned on her heel, doing her best to hide a blush. "I'll be back in a few days. I'll let you know how I do with the book." She waved coyly, wriggling her fingers in a farewell manner. As she stepped out into the main hallway of the mall, Tish Katsufrakis was filled with an equal amount of self-confidence and self-consciousness. Fortunately, she happened to have someone she could talk with about these kinds of things. Tish hurried home to slip into something more comfortable before making a phone call to a certain someone. Terry wasn't certain, but he thought she had been swaying her hips as she left.

Tino heard Carver's voice coming through on his old headset, and he responded on the third request. "Tino here, over." He sighed after adjusting the volume level.

"Yo T. Just checking on how things are going for you after last night, buddy. Over." Carver responded.

"Carv? I know this isn't usually like me, but do you think you can drop by? Over."

"I don't know man. I'm kind of in the middle of organizing for the new year. See, I need to make sure I'm wearing the perfect pair of shoes tomorrow so I can start off the fashion year just right. This is a pretty hard decision, so I really can't just drop what I'm doing. The fate of my coolness factor is totally at stake here! Over."

"I kissed Lor." Tino heard a loud thump and a hiss of static, followed by what appeared to be a scraping sound. After nearly a minute, he hears his friend's voice again.

"Say what?"

"I kissed Lor. I kissed Lor, dammit! I need some backup over here!"

"I'll be right there. If it's not too late, don't let your mom know about this!"

"Ten bucks says it's way too late for that, but I won't tell her if you won't." Tino explained.

"Good. Now whatever you do, don't do anything! Just wait for me to get there. Make sure you don't call her. Oh, and you definitely can't let Tish find out. She must never know!

"But Tish and I have never kept stuff from each other before."

"News flash, she's not your girlfriend anymore. You're not obligated to tell her squat! And if you want to increase your chances of ever getting back together with her, and I know you do, then you'd better listen to me carefully or you could do irreparable damage. Now, here's what I want you to do. . ."

Well, here we are again friends. Eleven hours out, but I finally managed to work up a new chapter of Awakening. It took longer than I expected, although a lot of that was just me taking a vacation from writing. After I had written "Say You Will" in its entirety in approximately 36 hours, I simply lacked the strength to write anything else for about three weeks following that story's release. After that, it was just touch and go with inspiration. However, I finally came into something with both Tish and Lor that gave me some fire. Carver is someone I'm still working on, which is why you usually see him a lot less. From a behind-the scenes point of view, there have been a lot of changes to Third Stage, mostly focusing on getting it to run in the time I have allotted for it. Smaller things have been dropped from the story in order that I might focus on the main message. There are still many creative decisions that I'll need to make, I'd love to get into them, but I feel that they're best saved for a time when I'm not having so much difficulty keeping my eyes open.

Over the next week, I'm going to change my biography page here on FFN into something more of a news page for my works. I will update the profile frequently with information of where I am in the development of projects and chapters for stories, and try to have release dates available. Spread the good word.

At this moment in time, I'm not certain which pairing is more favored or supported, Tino/Lor or Tino/Tish. When I go back through my reviews, it seems that many readers definitely have a preference for Tish, I often wondered if they started out with that or not. I'd like to think that I made a difference to some people over a time. Whenever I see a fic like _Love, Fate, & Everything In Between _pop up, I can take a breath. Knowing that I'm not alone in the "fight" really makes a difference. Then of course, there's the more curious fics like _Oblivion_ and _Baskets For Bucks Redux_. I'm always impressed when I don't know where a story is going, and these two definitely have something exciting and original going on. So if you've yet to check out any of these other Weekenders fics, I encourage you to do so when you're done here. Of course, if you feel the need to read some of the other stories I've written, I won't stop you!

I'm sorry, I intended for these notes to be a lot longer, but I'm falling down tired at the moment and I can't concentrate for another second. I hope you enjoyed the update and I'll be back in a few weeks with another installment. Until next time, send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death throats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

03/28/05

3:17AM, EST

E-mail: ranger(underscore)writer(at)yahoo(dot)com

AIM: Asukaphile26


	17. Triangles Are Pointy Things

It was sometime after dinner when Tish Katsufrakis retreated to the solitude of her room. She flung her closet doors open, slowly removing her outfit and placing it back on empty hangars. She clipped her purple skirt carefully, putting it in the middle of her rotation, while the blouse found its way to the back of the line. Satisfied that her wardrobe was in order, Tish took a simple white slip out of her closet. Yawning once, she wriggled her socks off her feet and removed her bra, depositing both in her hamper. She donned her nightwear and slid onto her bed, reaching out to the nightstand for her telephone and a bottle of artesian water. She pressed the button without needing to look. Speed dial number four, appropriately listed just under Tino's speed dial number. She felt surprised to hear the line picked up after only one ring—had she been expected?

"Hello, Tish." Dixon greeted her in a voice bordering on sing-song.

_Next question_, Tish thought to herself. "Hi Dixon. I'm calling about-"

"Another episode of "Love: Geek Style?"

"All right, who put you up to that one?" Tish did not endeavor to keep the ire out of her voice.

"Let's just say I lost a bet."

Tish rolled her eyes. "Tino's Mom totally owns you."

"Yeah. But it does have its upside." The grin was evident in Dixon's voice.

"Great." Tish stretched the word out with a moan. "I really needed that image running around in my head."

"You teenagers today think that everything is about sex." Dixon chided.

"I can't believe you would say that about me!" Tish was taken aback.

"Present company excluded. Now, to what do I owe the pleasure? Still worried about Tino?"

"No. Well, yes, to some extent. But this is more about me. I'm trying to reorganize my thoughts. Trying to sort out where I went wrong."

"I think you already know. Be honest with yourself."

"That's easy to say from where you're sitting."

"No, it isn't. Take it from an old man who's been around. You went through a breakup. And a fairly good one, as they tend to go. Why don't you try asking Tino's Mom about her divorce sometime?"

"I couldn't do that! It would be a violation of her privacy! Besides, wouldn't that upset her?"

"Tish, she likes you. More importantly, she likes how you make Tino feel. Trust me on this one. She's rather possessive of her son. You should've seen her a few years back when Lor's grandmother took you kids up into the mountains. She spent most of the weekend pacing around. She changed the oil on her SUV three times, trying to keep busy so she wouldn't always think of Tino. "

"Sounds like her weekend was a lot more fun than ours." Tish sighed. "But this does explain where Tino gets some of those obsessive/compulsive tendencies from." She flopped backwards on her bad she spoke, darting her legs up into the air.

"Okay, now that one might offend her."

"I'll work on it."

"Good. Oh, and here's a little free advice."

Tish snorted at the remark. "Free advice is seldom cheap."

"Maybe so. But this is good advice. Just expect a little surprise."

"All right, what have you got for me?"

"Talk with your father. He knows a lot more about these things than you give him credit for.

Tish blinked at that prospect, suddenly feeling a little apprehensive. "I wasn't aware that you knew my father."

"Sure I do! He's a card carrying member of the Alliance of Dads. He's a good man. Not enough today willing to join the Alliance. Too many can't be bothered. But we all believe in working towards—well, perhaps I've said too much. Suffice to say that he's a good father, and he's seen a lot in his time. It may not be easy to remember, but he was young once too. Still is where it counts. He's a great example of a man living the American dream."

"I never thought of him like that before. He's always been my dad. He's always. . .he's been there for me. Sometimes I forget about everything he's done for himself."

"Yeah, well, that's kind of typical." Dixon chuckled. "Kids don't usually think of us adults in that sort of capacity. But the truth is that we really aren't so different. We've just been around the block. But there is one thing I can tell you about Tino."

"What's that?"

"You can't just tell him how you feel. You have to show him. He needs that kind of communication and reassurance."

"He's so cute like that. I never can stop my heart from going out to his fragile nature."

"He loves you, Tish. Hard as that may be for you to accept. Remember that it's not as though he's asking you to marry him. He just. . .wants you to know that he takes you seriously."

"Are you trying to make me cry?" Tish fidgeted, her fingers digging into the bedspread. She crossed her legs in the air, feeling nervous.

"Perish the thought! I'm sorry, I suppose I should let you solve your own problems."

"I will. And you're right, as always."

"Ha! Try telling that to Tino's mother. Good hunting, Tish."

"Good night, sweet Prince." Tish giggled.

"I'm more of a salt of the earth guy. Night!" Dixon hung up the phone with a sigh, marveling at his having sent another teenage girl on a good course. Now if he could keep his daughter Moira out of too much emotional turbulence, he would have a good thing going. Like Tish, Moira was headstrong and confident, but a bit awkward at serious relationships. She had had a string of boyfriends in high school, most of them decent young men, but nothing seemed to stick. He understood her frustrations. Not having a significant other could be a trying experience. Of course, maintaining a working, stable romantic relationship wasn't exactly a walk in the park. But maybe the pending resolution of Tino and Tish's quarrel would be a sign of things to come.

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"Okay, so let me get this straight." Carver paced the length of Tino's room in full crisis mode, his mind racing. "You and Lor were up here making out, and-"

"That's not how it went down, Carv." Tino interrupted to clear up the misconceptions. "We were just sitting on my bed, talking."

"On your bed? Man, you guys are moving way too fast!"

"It wasn't like that at all! Look, are you going to listen to me, or are you just going to make up weird, quasi-sexual fantasies about me and Lor?" Tino's frustration began to increase.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. I was just tryin' to juice things up a little. So let's hear about your mostly harmless little jaunt."

"Okay then. Anyway, we were sitting on my bed. It was kinda nice. But definitely weird, considering it was Lor. We were looking at old photos. It started out that we were looking at pictures of Tish and I, but then I put the book away and took out my Lor scrapbook, it's full of all these pictures and notations of awards and stuff that she's won. And like I said, it was nice, but weird. Lor isn't exactly the touchy-feely type." Tino sighed. "I'm really confused now."

"So tell me about it." Carver asked.

"What?"

"Lor! Since you've now managed to kiss all three of your best friends, I deserve to know the details about this one!"

"I don't know, isn't this kind of an invasion of her privacy?" Tino hesitated.

"Totally. But hey, don't think she isn't the same way. As I recall, she's always been after steamy details about you and Tish ever since she got over the initial shock of you guys as a couple."

"Great." Tino groaned. "Now I'm gonna lie awake at night wondering what Tish has let slip to Lor about me over the years."

"Yeah, y'know, there could've been some really juicy stuff, T."

"That's what I'm afraid of!"

"Which exactly proves my point. She already knows stuff about you that's private. So spill!" Carver grinned.

"I guess I can't argue with that one." Tino gave. "But you totally can't tell her that I told you anything."

"Hey, my lips are sealed."

"Alright." Tino took a deep breath. "It really. . .it wasn't like you would expect. She was soft, timid. Pretty much the opposite of what you would imagine. She lacked confidence. Actually, she reminded me of myself. Now Tish, she has a totally enthralling technique. She's gentle, but very confident. Whenever she kissed me, it was like, I knew that everything would be all right."

"Wow. That's deep. So you're saying it wasn't that great."

"I didn't say that. It was kind of. . .I don't know, it happened so fast. And it's not like we were actually making out. It was really quick. And then she left so fast. . .I don't even know what I'm going to do about this yet." Tino whispered. "Should I just let it pass? Should I talk to her about it?"

"I dunno. This is a tough one, Tino. But it sure sounds to me like you enjoyed it."

"It's not that I enjoyed it, it's more like that I. . .didn't dislike it."

"Would you do it again?" Carver asked.

"I don't know. I think I might. I mean, not like I would go looking for her. But if she kissed me again. . .I don't think I would object."

"Well, it sure sounds to me like you enjoyed it. And if Lor was the one who initiated it, then she definitely wanted to do it. Unless you think it was an accident."

"No, it couldn't have been an accident. She meant what she did it was too. . .she was so fragile, Carver. When she kissed me, I sensed this total vulnerability in her."

"So, I guess it all comes down to how she felt about it. Do you think she liked it?"

"Oh man! I have no idea! I still don't get girls at all. It's like they're totally crazy. Carv, you've dated girls that aren't part of our group. Are they all like this?"

"Mostly. But trust me, they feel the same way about us." Carver added.

"How did we ever make it this far as a species?" Tino wondered aloud.

It only took a moment for both friends to arrive at the same conclusion, which they exclaimed in unison. "SEX!"

"If only Tish could hear you now!" Carver chuckled.

"Don't be so sure." Tino was quick to respond. "Tish may be a rather proper young lady, but she isn't overly shy about sex. Did you know she's a big fan of Kinsey?"

"Wait a minute, are you talking about our Tish? The prim and proper lady-like Tish?"

"The one and only." Tino verified. "I just don't get it. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not like I want to talk about that kind of stuff with my mom or anything, but teachers aren't much better than parents. Especially if you get one of those ancient types. I mean, really. Talking about sex with old people. Oh yeah, that's my idea of a pleasant way to spend the day, all right." Tino ranted sarcastically.

"Okay, T, I officially forbid you from using the words 'sex' and 'old people' in the same sentence. It creeps me out."

"Objection noted." Tino agreed. "So anyway, with Lor. . .what should I do?"

"I dunno man. There isn't really an easy answer to this one. Do you like her? Y'know, as more than a friend."

"I don't know." Tino sighed. "I never thought of her like that. I really haven't been doing much looking at other women." He paused, giving the nation considerable thought. "She is pretty, isn't she?"

"I think so. It's in the way she dresses." Carver grinned. "Doesn't draw killer attention to herself. And her face is symmetrical, that's a total sign of good looks. Plus her hair, her hair has that real nice tinge, you don't see that kind of thing very often. Plus, she's athletic, so you know she's totally in shape. Man, overall, I'd have to rate her as a solid-"

"Don't say it!" Tino cut Carver off.

"Huh?"

"Carver, we can't be rating our friends like that. It isn't right."

"Yeah, maybe you're right. Okay, so what about Cheri Montagne?"

"Definite 9.5 territory, Carv."

"10-4 on that one good buddy. On account of she's a ten on four separate counts!"

"Okay, so who do you like? I mean, there's got to be a girl you have your eyes on."

"Yeah, Cheri."

Tino rolled his eyes. "I meant a girl that you can actually attain."

Carver shrugged. "Got a yearbook handy?"

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Lor Macquarrie blinked at the designs on her ceiling, as though she could will the white speckles to go away by clearing them from her vision. Her back dug into the mattress, and she clutched a pillow to her chest tightly. She could feel every breath that she took. She was disappointed in herself. After losing Thompson, she had gone through a mourning period where she hadn't done much of anything. Then Christmas had approached, bringing with it an endless stream of perspiration and, of course, the arrival of one Granny MacQuarrie. Suddenly, she had far too much to do to feel sorry for herself. Having reached fifteen years of age, Lor had been placed on full time kitchen duty. Together with her mother and grandmother, three generation of MacQuarrie women cooked up meals, desserts, and snacks capable of feeding a sizeable army. Or in this case, their clan, along with frequent visits from Coach Ned Colson. Cooking had become a therapeutic activity for Lor. She had always been a diehard tomboy through the years, so the discovery that she felt comfortable in the kitchen was a tad unsettling. Unsettling, yet not quite scary. When she closed her eyes, she could picture herself standing in the kitchen, an apron around her waist and kids underfoot, baking holiday cookies. It was not an unpleasant thought. She added it to the box with the thought of being pregnant with Tino's child. She really had to stop pursuing this stuff. It didn't exactly fit in with her image. "Maybe I should open a restaurant or something." Lor mumbled to herself as she turned onto her side, pulling the covers tightly around her. Her free arm dropped to her side, and she shifted the pillow, tucking it between her knees. She was feeling small again, vulnerable. "Why am I so stupid?" She had definitely put her foot in it this time. Would Tino ever forgive her? Worse, what would happen when Tish got wind of the kiss? And she would. Tish had always had a sensitive radar here Tino was concerned. Their three year romance had only heightened her perception, and now Tish stood second only to Tino's mother. Once again, Lor knew she sat with her legs dangling over an emotional precipice. Why did it have to be Tino? Why couldn't it be Diego? Or Josh? Or Murph? Or even Percy! But no, that would've been entirely too easy. Too safe. For whatever reasons, she had developed a penchant for creation complex emotional situations. Maybe her subconscious was trying to tell her something. Either that, or she was just one sick puppy. Lor grunted at that prospect, snapping the elastic band on her underwear and yelping. "I've got to get it together!" A feat that continued to be much easier to say than to actually do. Her life was undeniably losing cohesion, her friendships slipping away. And she knew she was on the verge of destroying whatever remained of the group. If she pursued Tino, Tish would not stand for it. Sure, she talked a good game about seeing other people. Maybe she had even managed to make Tino believe it. But Lor knew better, and she was certain that Tish would consider this a betrayal of the highest magnitude. And perhaps she would be correct. While there wasn't anything technically wrong about it, this was still a black area. Friends didn't date each other's exes. Those were the unwritten rules.

Lor cringed in anguish, calling down curses upon herself. She felt pitiful and angry. A small being trying to attack what she didn't understand. She was beaten and she knew it. The universe was against her. If God existed, the he laughed at her. No matter what she chose to do, she was open to attack. Who would save her now?

Tino could save her. It was just the kind of thing he would do. Except, of course, on those occasions when he was the one who needed saving. He always looked out for his friends when they needed help. Even if it didn't really work. She couldn't help but think of the various times in the past two years when Tino had tried in vain to tutor her in the finer points of algebra. As Lor recalled, she had thoroughly stymied Tino, causing him to curl up into the fetal position, sucking his thumb and mumbling something about the wasted hours of his life. Tish had then taken his place, but a woman's approach hadn't made any significant difference. Her brain just refused to process the complexities of higher math. She couldn't help it. It wasn't that she was dumb, just that stuff only stuck to her when it hit her in a certain way, when it took on a practical application in her mind. It didn't help that she lacked academic confidence. She didn't even want to think about the GPA she would have to maintain to stay on the basketball and field hockey teams. And her father had already laid down the law that when she turned sixteen, her allowance was going to end, and she would either have to get a job or beg off her friends. Neither choice was very appealing, but perhaps she could swing a job where she could work with one of her friends. Yeah! Maybe that was the ticket! She could talk things out with Tino, maybe convince him that they should seek employment together somewhere; prove that she wasn't really the twisted freak she had just made herself out to be. The beginnings of a plan began to form in Lor's mind. Something that Tish had once said came back to her, and now she finally understood what it meant. "In for a penny, in for a pound." Lor grinned, digging herself into her covers for the night. She had a lot of mental preparation to do for the next day; and she would have to get an early start on her day. She needed her beauty sleep. And this time, slumber found her with ease.

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And so ends yet another chapter, my wonderful friends. This outing was longer in coming than I had planned on, largely due to the fact that I came down with pneumonia and it put my life on hold for awhile. Fortunately, the case was not too severe, and I recovered. And then I was able to get back to work, doing what I do and typing stuff out. My feverish brain seemed to think that these would be the right paths to set the characters on at the moment. Surprisingly enough, despite my love of Tish, her segment was the least enjoyable of the three for me to write. I much preferred doing the Tino/Carver and Lor scenes. Maybe I just felt that I had much more to say with them this time, I'm not entirely certain. Sometimes, I feel like I have too many stories in my head to tell, and I have to reign myself in. As it is, I'm under entirely too much stress. So when I read kind reviews and receive flattering e-mails, it makes me feel wonderful, gives me the strength to keep on going.

It's hard to believe that here it is, May 9 already. I've got so much stuff to prepare for this month, I need to get still another Third Stage chapter out of the gate, and I also have to successfully launch a major Hey Arnold! Fanfic on June 13. And that's just my online life! I also have to find a new job and save a bunch of money and plan my vacation out there in the real world. But then, everyone has problems, I guess, so I shouldn't whine too much.

I'm sure that, given this chapter's title, a lot of you expected to see an appearance by Frances. To be honest, I did too. But while I was in the middle of the Lor sequence, I realized that Frances just would've been out of place here. Shoehorning her in would've felt like exactly that—shoehorning her in. Ergo, I decided to stand by the title and forego the obvious connection, I'm sure you all got the reference as it is.

I feel like I don't have as much to say this time out as I should. Perhaps I'm just more eager to let my work speak for itself. I will, however, do some shameless promoting—

Attic Man is working on some wonderful stories, _Oblivion_ and _Suitably Ill_. They're both works of high quality and I recommend checking them out at your earliest convenience if you haven't done so already. Never one to be outdone, Gerard Dominus continues to work hard on _Love, Fate, & Everything In Between_, which to my knowledge happens to be the only other Tino/Tish fic in the fandom, although it appears that there may be some intimations in _Suitably Ill_. And the greatest Weekenders author of all time, Lord Canti, is working on a new tale that should be available soon. Check your local listings for a release, or better yet, sign up for author alert. I also recommend checking out the Weekenders C2 community, maintained by Gerard Dominus. Inside, you can find a link to every Weekenders story available here on FFN, all in one place. It's very convenient.

As for me, well, the next chapter of Third Stage will be available as soon as I'm able to write it. If you're just a fan of my work in general, not only this story, then expect one last trailer for my next big projects, _Instant Gratification_, to hit FFN in about two weeks. I would also like to take this moment to once again thank all you readers who support us hard working Weekenders authors. A special thank you and my eternal affection to my dearest Holly, who supports me in all that I do. She is often an angel unaware, but without her, none of what you just read would be possible.

Until next time, keep the faith, and spread it like peanut butter. And as always, send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

05/09/05

4:46AM, EST

E-mail: ranger(underscore)writer(at)yahoo(dot)com  
AIM: Asukaphile26


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